The Israeli Startup That’s Breaching the Brain’s Defenses

Every year, thousands of women with advanced breast cancer face a devastating diagnosis: brain metastases. For most, the treatments that worked outside the brain can’t help anymore—not because the disease has changed, but because the drugs can’t reach their target. The blood-brain barrier stands in the way.

Nanocarry, a biotech startup born at Bar-Ilan University, is changing that.

From Academic Discovery to Life-Saving Potential

Nanocarry was founded to solve one of medicine’s most urgent problems: how to deliver powerful biological drugs—like antibodies—to the brain. The company grew out of the research of Prof. Rachela Popovtzer, a world leader in nanomedicine at BIU’s Faculty of Engineering. Working closely with her in the lab was Dr. Oshra Betzer, who conducted her doctoral and postdoctoral research under Prof. Popovtzer’s guidance and played a key role in the technology’s early development.

To lead the company through the complex path of clinical translation, Nanocarry brought in Dr. Revital Mandil-Levin, a seasoned biotech executive with deep experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Together, the three co-founded Nanocarry to bring this science to patients—and the startup became the first spinout of UnBox Ventures, BIU’s innovation and startup studio.

A Platform That Opens the Brain’s Back Door

Nanocarry’s innovation is its AxS platform, a proprietary nanoparticle delivery system that can safely carry biological drugs across the blood-brain barrier. At its core is a gold nanoparticle engineered to do two things at once: bind a therapeutic antibody on one side, and hitch a ride with insulin on the other.

Insulin is one of the few molecules the brain allows in. By attaching to insulin and traveling through natural receptor pathways, the nanoparticle acts like a Trojan horse—sneaking life-saving drugs across the barrier to reach tumors previously out of reach.

Preclinical studies have shown that the AxS platform can deliver up to 30 times more therapeutic antibodies to the brain than standard methods. It’s a major leap forward in a field that’s been blocked—quite literally—for decades.

First Target: Brain Metastases from HER2+ Breast Cancer

Nanocarry’s lead product, AxS-007, is designed to treat brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer. While HER2-targeted therapies like Herceptin are effective in the body, they struggle to reach brain tumors due to their size and the impermeability of the BBB. Nanocarry’s technology is designed to change that—making existing therapies work where they’re needed most.

The early data is promising: animal studies show not only high penetration into brain tumors, but also significant tumor growth inhibition. The moment the team first saw the treatment reach its target in the brain was, in their words, unforgettable.

Backed by Vision, Science—and Bar-Ilan

Nanocarry is supported by a strong ecosystem of academic, governmental, and venture partners. It received early investment from NFX, Sapir Venture Partners, the Israel Innovation Authority, and UnBox Ventures, which remains actively involved in the company’s growth.

The startup was also selected by the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Nanotechnology Characterization Lab (NCL)—a prestigious designation that gives promising nanomedicine companies access to top-tier preclinical testing. This milestone brings Nanocarry one step closer to the clinic, with first-in-human trials on the horizon.

A Different Kind of Story

Nanocarry’s success is rooted in scientific excellence, bold leadership, and a commitment to solving problems that others have struggled with for decades. While the company isn’t defined by the gender of its leadership, the fact that three women co-founded and now lead one of Israel’s most promising biotech startups is noteworthy—and part of a broader shift in the innovation landscape.

With its roots in BIU, its eyes on clinical trials, and its heart set on helping patients with no other options, Nanocarry is more than a medical breakthrough. It’s a story of possibility.