By Bernard Dichek

Proneuron Biotechnologies Ltd.: Located in Ness-Ziona, this company is entering Phase I clinical trials with a treatment that offers a glimmer of hope for spinal cord injury victims, until now an unmet medical need. This year, newly paralyzed patients at two medical centers in Israel will be the first in the world to be treated with the company's cell therapy method for regenerating damaged spinal cord tissue. In fact, just this week the U.S. FDA approved the protocol for this clinical trial. Proneuron has an extensive neurotherapeutics pipeline with technologies based on activated T cells for CNS neuroprotection and an immunosuppressive small molecule with application against autoimmune diseases. About $7 million has been raised by the Hudson Investment Group and a group of Israeli VCs.