Delivering the right drugs to the right place at the right time has always been a challenge for the biopharmaceutical industry. Peptineo LLC aims to meet that challenge by developing and commercializing nanoscale technologies and materials for drug delivery and drug discovery. Its aim is to improve the delivery of drugs in development, extend the life cycle of marketed drugs, and repurpose existing or failed compounds.

Siva Therapeutics Inc. aims to destroy skin cancer cells from within by using its SivaRods, gold nanoparticles that combine with near-infrared light to create precisely targeted hyperthermia that destroys tumors with minimal collateral damage.

As companies flurried to clinch deals by the end of the year, a number of significant agreements were signed or completed last December.