Israel Active

Israel hosted an online conference to discuss cooperation on fighting the coronavirus. It comprised science ministers of Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Peru, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Back in 2019 there was much excitement when Tel Aviv University scientists 3D-printed the first heart produced from human tissue (reported previously). What was not reported was that the technology itself was licensed to Tel Aviv University from award-winning Israeli biotech Matricelf.

Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute and the Israel Institute for Biological Research have identified four new proteins and 19 peptides that Covid-19 infected patients produce. They believe that these may help the virus to replicate, so targeting them could lead to new treatments.

Israel’s ImmunoBrain Checkpoint aims to begin trials of its IBC-Ab002 treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The antibody, developed by its Chief Scientist EMET Prize-winning Weizmann Institute Professor Michal Schwartz, boosts the immune system to induce brain repair processes.

Durban pediatrician Dr Thesi Reddy (non-Jewish) was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this year and was given nine months to live. South African Friends of Sheba Medical Center got him to Israel, where Sheba surgeons used advanced techniques to remove the entire tumor. Amazing.

Israel’s Inteligels has developed a wound covering that can be removed without pain. It is made from a special smart transparent polymer that can be triggered to liquify and does not need to be pulled off. It is based on the work of Daniel Cohn, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University.  

The CorePlus pathology lab in Carolina Puerto Rico is the first in the Americas to detect prostate cancer using the AI-based software from Israel’s Ibex Medical Analytics (reported previously). The system is already in use in the UK and in France.

The synthetic cornea from Israel’s CorNeat is beginning human trials, as reported in July. This has become vital due to shortage of human corneas during Covid-19. CorNeat will soon begin trials of its EverPatch for Glaucoma surgery and is developing the eShunt to reduce eye pressure.

More details about the development of StreamO2 – the low-cost breathing machine for Covid-19 patients built by Israeli fizzy-drinks maker SodaStream (reported previously). StreamO2 was the idea of Hadassah ICU doctor Akiva Nachshon, and recently tested successfully at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem.

Sheba Medical Center has launched its “Gulf” initiative with the first agreement between an Israeli hospital and an organization in the United Arab Emirates. Sheba will work with UAE’s APEX National Investment on key medical challenges from COVID-19 to the future of hospital care.