SironRX Therapeutics Inc. is betting that a product encoding a protein naturally produced by the body in response to tissue injury, and known to recruit stem cells, can become a drug effective at healing wounds and preventing skin scarring. The start-up got rights to Stromal cell-Derived Factor-1 from Juventas Therapeutics and Cleveland Clinic.

NuMe Health Inc. aims to market mixtures of edible substances that will act as "prebiotics" to shift ratios of certain bacteria in the lower intestine. The start-up intends to educate consumers about how "managing the microbiome" with products that are not drugs can positively affect metabolic health. First up: a mixture NuMe expects will improve biomarkers associated with pre-diabetes.

UK-based Orthox Ltd. has developed a meniscus replacement technology derived from the high-strength silk proteins found in spider web. The company is hoping to offer the best long-term, load-bearing solution for this underserved segment of the orthopedics market.