Treating diseases of the brain remains one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine. Researchers have developed therapies for many forms of cancer and neurological disorders, but delivering those treatments to the brain is often difficult. A natural protective system known as the blood-brain barrier prevents many substances in the bloodstream from entering brain tissue. While this barrier protects the brain from harmful materials, it also blocks many medicines that could potentially help patients.
This challenge has encouraged scientists to develop smart drug delivery systems. These technologies are designed to improve how medicines travel through the body and reach specific targets. By helping therapies arrive at the right location, smart drug delivery systems have become an important area of research in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development. Among the companies working in this field is NanoCarry Therapeutics, an Israeli biotechnology company focused on developing technologies that improve the delivery of biologic therapies across the blood-brain barrier. Since its establishment in 2021, the company has concentrated on addressing one of the most significant obstacles in brain disease treatment.
The Importance of Smart Drug Delivery Systems
Traditional medicines travel through the bloodstream after administration and spread throughout the body. In many cases, only a portion of the treatment reaches the intended target. This can reduce effectiveness and increase the possibility of side effects. Smart drug delivery systems seek to improve this process. Scientists design these systems to transport therapeutic molecules more efficiently and direct them toward specific tissues or cells. Advances in nanotechnology have expanded the possibilities for targeted drug delivery by enabling researchers to work with materials at an extremely small scale.
For diseases affecting the brain, targeted delivery is particularly important because the blood-brain barrier limits access to many treatments. Researchers around the world continue to explore technologies that can improve the movement of medicines into the central nervous system while maintaining the brain’s natural protection.
Understanding the Blood-Brain Barrier
The blood-brain barrier is a network of tightly connected cells that regulates what can move from the bloodstream into brain tissue. It serves as a protective shield, preventing toxins, pathogens, and other harmful substances from entering the brain. Although this barrier plays a vital role in human health, it also presents a major challenge for medicine. Many therapeutic compounds, including biologic drugs, cannot easily cross the barrier. As a result, treatments that may be effective elsewhere in the body often struggle to reach brain tumors and other neurological targets. For decades, researchers have investigated different methods for overcoming this obstacle. Smart drug delivery systems have emerged as one approach to improving the transport of therapies across biological barriers.
Nanotechnology has become an important tool in drug delivery research. Scientists can design nanoparticles that carry therapeutic molecules and help transport them through the body. Because nanoparticles operate at a very small scale, researchers can engineer them to interact with specific biological processes. These particles can act as carriers, helping medicines reach areas that are difficult to access through conventional approaches. In brain disease research, nanoparticle technologies are being studied for their potential to improve delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Companies and academic institutions continue to explore how these systems can support the development of more effective treatments.
The Story Behind NanoCarry Therapeutics
NanoCarry Therapeutics was founded in 2021 and originated from research conducted at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. The company was established to advance technologies designed to improve the delivery of biologic therapies to the brain.
The scientific foundation of the company emerged from research in nano-bioengineering laboratories at Bar-Ilan University. The work focused on developing nanoparticle-based approaches that could help transport therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier. By transforming academic research into a biotechnology company, NanoCarry Therapeutics joined a growing group of startups working to translate scientific discoveries into potential medical applications. The company operates from Kadima-Tzoran, Israel, where it continues its research and development activities.
NanoCarry’s Drug Delivery Platform
NanoCarry Therapeutics has developed a proprietary nanoparticle platform designed to improve the delivery of biologic drugs into the brain.
According to the company, the platform uses biological transport mechanisms to move therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier. The technology is intended to support the delivery of biologic therapies that would otherwise have difficulty reaching brain tissue. The company’s research focuses on improving access to therapeutic targets located within the central nervous system. This approach forms the basis of its development programs and serves as the core of its technology platform. NanoCarry describes the platform as a flexible system that can support multiple therapeutic applications involving diseases of the brain.
AxS007 and the Fight Against Brain Metastases
NanoCarry Therapeutics’ lead product candidate is AxS007. The therapy is being developed for HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain. Brain metastases represent a serious complication for many patients with advanced breast cancer. Treating these tumors can be difficult because therapeutic antibodies often face challenges crossing the blood-brain barrier.
AxS007 combines therapeutic antibodies with NanoCarry’s nanoparticle technology. The goal of the program is to improve the delivery of these therapies into brain tissue and increase their ability to reach tumors located behind the blood-brain barrier. The development of AxS007 reflects the company’s focus on addressing challenges associated with brain-targeted treatment delivery.
Recognition from the U.S. National Cancer Institute
A significant milestone for NanoCarry Therapeutics occurred in September 2024 when the company’s lead candidate, AxS007, was selected by the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory for its preclinical characterization program. The Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory evaluates nanomedicine technologies and provides scientific assessments that support future development activities. The program helps generate data related to the performance and characteristics of selected technologies.
The selection of AxS007 marked an important development for NanoCarry Therapeutics and highlighted ongoing interest in nanoparticle-based approaches to drug delivery. The company’s participation in the program supports its continued efforts to advance research related to brain-targeted therapies.
Research-Driven Innovation
The biotechnology industry relies heavily on scientific research and long-term development. Companies working on advanced therapies often spend years refining technologies before they reach clinical testing.
NanoCarry Therapeutics continues to build on the research that led to its creation. Its connection to Bar-Ilan University reflects the important role academic institutions play in generating innovations that may eventually become medical products. Research partnerships, laboratory studies, and technology development remain central components of the company’s work. Through these activities, NanoCarry Therapeutics continues to focus on improving the delivery of biologic therapies to the brain.
CEO Revital Mandil-Levin and Her Contribution
Revital Mandil-Levin serves as Chief Executive Officer and Founder of NanoCarry Therapeutics. She brings both scientific training and business experience to the company. Dr. Mandil-Levin earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Bar-Ilan University. She also studied at The College of Management Academic Studies, adding business education to her scientific background. Before leading NanoCarry Therapeutics, she held senior positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Her professional experience includes corporate development and business leadership roles in both emerging and clinical-stage companies.
She was involved with NeuroDerm during a period that included the company’s NASDAQ public offering and its later acquisition by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma. These experiences provided exposure to business growth, strategic planning, partnerships, and corporate development within the life sciences industry. At NanoCarry Therapeutics, Dr. Mandil-Levin has played an important role in guiding the company from academic innovation toward commercial development. Her leadership has supported the advancement of the company’s technology platform, research strategy, and business operations. By combining scientific understanding with industry experience, she continues to help shape the company’s efforts to develop brain-targeted drug delivery technologies.
The Future of Smart Drug Delivery Systems
The challenge of delivering medicines to the brain remains a major focus of medical research. Scientists continue to investigate new approaches that can improve access to therapeutic targets located behind the blood-brain barrier. Smart drug delivery systems have become an important part of this effort. Advances in nanotechnology and biotechnology have created new opportunities to develop delivery platforms capable of transporting therapies more effectively.
NanoCarry Therapeutics represents one example of how scientific research is being applied to address complex medical challenges. Through its nanoparticle platform and ongoing development programs, the company is focused on improving the delivery of biologic therapies to the brain. As research in smart drug delivery systems continues to evolve, technologies designed to overcome barriers to treatment delivery remain an important area of innovation. Companies such as NanoCarry Therapeutics continue to contribute to this field through research, development, and the pursuit of new approaches for brain-targeted therapies.
