Israel Active

Israel’s MDClone system generates anonymous medical research data from real medical records. Customers include Israeli health companies Maccabi and Clalit and (in the US) Washington University hospital and Intermountain. MDClone has just raised $26 million of funds.

Every year the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) awards grants to Israeli researchers working to find cures and treatments for cancer. This year its 69 grants of $4.3 million focus on cancer genetics, targeted cancer therapies and immunotherapy. Read about some of the amazing work.

Tuberculosis (TB) kills 1.6 million people a year. Israeli startup Keheala has developed a “low-tech” system whereby Keheala sends SMS reminders to patients in Kenya to take their meds. The patient must respond with an SMS otherwise a Keheala mentor gets involved. Trials were 96% successful.

I reported previously when GE Medical integrated the imaging analysis software from Israel’s DiA Imaging into its ultrasound devices. Now, DiA is to provide its artificially intelligent cardiac solutions for the point-of-care devices made by US ultrasound imaging company Terason.

This is an example of how Israeli medical data helps research into diseases. Ben Gurion University’s Dr Yair Zlotnik has used the database of Israeli Health company Clalit to analyze patients with both Parkinson’s and fibromyalgia. The findings could lead to new treatment options.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have linked metastatic melanoma progression to a patient’s lipid (fatty acid) metabolism. Skin cancer is more sensitive to immune T-cells if the lipid metabolism is high. The scientists say the discovery can lead to new therapies.

The US FDA has granted accelerated approval to XPOVIO for the treatment of resistant or relapsed multiple myeloma. XPOVIO (Selinexor) was developed by Karyopharm Therapeutics, established by Israel’s Dr. Sharon Shacham,.and based in Newton MA.

The Ezer Mizion Bone Marrow Registry has just reached an amazing milestone: 2,000 IDF soldiers have donated their stem cells to save 2,000 patients around the world. They not only protect citizens of the State of Israel, but also globally, those whose lives depend on a stem cell transplant.

As reported previously , retired UK surgeon Norman Rosenbaum, 84, has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Magen David Adom. His 12 MDA ambulances have attended some 75,064 calls over the years. Its crews have helped 997 women to give birth.

I reported previously that Ben Gurion University scientists were cultivating all-male prawns to eradicate schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. Now, with Israeli startup Enzoomic, they have produced all-female prawns - much better at controlling the disease.