Hoping to eliminate the stigma and inconvenience of ostomies, Zassi Medical Evolutions Inc. has developed a bag-free system for managing the waste that is redirected through a stoma in the abdominal wall. Zassi's Continent Ostomy Port system is designed to free patients from external collection devices taped to their stomachs. The company has signed a licensing and distribution deal with ostomy market leader Bristol-Myers Squibb's ConvaTec division.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, Protein Harvest, features profiles of Meristem Therapeutics; MPB Cologne GMBH; PhytaGenics Inc. and ProdiGene Inc. Plus these selected Start-Ups across Health Care: Gentris Corp.; HemoGenix LLC; Psychiatric Genomics Inc. and Zassi Medical Evolutions Inc.