Israel Active

Israel’s Nanovation-GS (see previously) is now undergoing clinical trials in Israel and the EU of its SenseGuard first-of-its-kind nano-sensor for monitoring and managing chronic respiratory conditions. It is also working to obtain CE certification, with FDA approval to be sought later.

Israeli-UK biotech Eleven Therapeutics is developing RNAi therapy that attacks the genetic structure of respiratory viruses such as SARS-COV-2. Eleven has just received a $9 million grant from the Gates Foundation.

A team of Israeli immunologists, epidemiologists and other researchers have successfully used the levels of antibody markers to predict the risk of Covid-19 infection. IGG antibodies for 608 healthy adults were monitored over 90 days. The 239 subsequent infections were then correlated.

Tel Aviv’s Sourasky (Ichilov) Hospital has inaugurated the Sylvan Adams Emergency Hospital (see previously). The 8,000sqm Emergency Room is the largest in the world. Technology includes facial recognition registration, self-triage, alerts for abnormal results, navigation robots and an app.

Scientists from Tel Aviv University were key members of a team led by University of Barcelona scientists, that reverted malignant blood cancer cells back into “normal” cells in the laboratory. They used messenger RNA to convert acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells to macrophages.

Israeli medical charity Ezer Mizion are offering Maccabiah athletes the opportunity to join the world’s largest Jewish bone-marrow donor registry. They volunteer to submit saliva samples which are then checked against the DNA of blood cancer sufferers.

Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry is to provide a grant package for physicians who emigrated to Israel and live outside of the center of the country. They will be eligible to receive 50,000 shekels per family. Lower value grants are available for other health care and engineering professionals.

When Maayan Cohen finished a regular first aid course she realized there was no psychological component, so she created one. Some 3,000 people are currently taking part in the pilot phase of the free online course. It focuses on detecting distress and taking initial action.

Israel’s Navina has made great strides since it was reported in Nov 2020. Its AI technology filters now organizes and presents patient data to 1,500 physicians in the U.S.  The founders’ IDF 8200-unit know-how now helps doctors assess patients more effectively, with less misdiagnoses.

Israel’s NeuraLight (see ) and NeuroSense Therapeutics (see ) are partnering to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They will study patients using NeuroSense’s biological markers, together with Neuralight’s digital oculometric biomarkers.