Israel Active

Israel’s OSSIO recently expanded its best-in-class soft-tissue fixation portfolio with the launch of OSSIOfiber® 2.5mm Suture Anchors, which promise to improve several surgical procedures, including Brostrom repair for lateral ankle instability.

A 16-year-old girl from northern Israel turned to ChatGPT for advice upon discovering a mysterious lump in her abdomen. After a series of follow-up questions, the AI chatbot recommended blood tests and an ultrasound. Subsequent surgery removed a large mass from her pancreas.

Researchers at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University have discovered molecules in corals that prevent bacteria from making the biofilm that connects them. This disrupts their communication, weakening infections and enhancing antibiotic effectiveness without harming beneficial microbiota.

Israel’s BrainsWay reported success in the trial of its accelerated Deep TMS protocol on 104 patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Both programs of accelerated (10mins) and standard (20 mins) treatment sessions had very high response rates, remission rates, and time to remission.

The US FDA has approved SELARSDI that Israel’s Teva has developed with Europe’s Alvotech. SELARSDI is a biosimilar (see previously) to the costly branded Stelara. It treats adult and pediatric psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, as well as Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

Israel’s Lembas (named after elves bread in the movie Lord of the Rings) has developed the GLP-1 Edge dietary supplement. It contains a bioactive peptide that triggers the body’s secretion of GLP-1 and other gut hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism.

Israelis have developed many digital platforms to aid mental health. They include Kai.ai, physiological approaches from Calmigo (see ), passive sensing technologies by Behavidence, and the digitally scaled trauma response of NATAL (see ), Israel’s Trauma and Resiliency Centre.

The US Academy for Health and Lifespan Research (AHLR) has inducted Prof. Haim Cohen of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University. “It's inspiring to be part of such a remarkable group of scientists, all working to advance aging research and improve lives around the world,” said Prof. Cohen.

A study by researchers at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University has found that although over a quarter of people on a diet do not lose weight, they gain other health benefits. These include higher “good” cholesterol, lower leptin levels, and reduced visceral and liver fat. So be positive!

Researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Sheba Medical Center have developed replacement skin for grafting in burn victims. Bioengineered from the patient’s own cells, it is stable, robust, and flexible and can achieve wound closure in half the time of standard therapies.