Israel Active

I reported previously when Muslim doctor Aziz Darawshe became director of the emergency department at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. Now, Hadassah’s Dr. Shaden Salameh has become the first Arab woman to head-up an Israeli emergency room.

Six Israeli bio-techs pitched their therapies to investors at the Azrieli College of Engineering. Concenter (type-2 diabetes treatment), Omnysense (hi-tech thermometer), Omnix (antibiotic), Neurogenesis (neuron injections), Vaxil (anti-cancer vaccine) and Virucure (anti-cancer virus).

This latest “Weizmann in Focus” video summarizes the work of Professor Yardena Samuels, tuning treatment to an individual’s unique genomic profile. She also discovered the signposts to guide immunotherapy treatments and destroy 90% of the targeted melanoma cells.

I reported previously on two innovative Israeli medical procedures for pelvic prolapse. However, two devices from Israel’s ConTipi Medical are much simpler. Impressa was acquired by Kimberly Clark in 2013. ProVate has CE and now FDA approval.

I reported previously on Israel’s ProArc Medical and its ClearRing implant to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). ProArc has just received a $2.2 million grant from the Horizon 2020 program to commercialize the minimally invasive reshaping implant.

I reported previously on the Moses laser from Israel’s Lumenis that urologists were using to smash bladder stones. Its technology was the Silver Winner in the Operating Room Medical Device category of the 21st Annual Medical Design Excellence Awards.

I reported previously about the 5-mer peptide, developed by Professor David Naor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Its potential to treat inflammatory and brain diseases has now been recognized by donors and an Israeli biotech which has signed contracts for clinical trials.

I reported previously on the AI system devised at Israel’s Technion for identifying the right antibiotic and dose for curing an individual’s infection. Now, thanks to the KSM Institute of Israel’s Maccabi Health company, the system is getting much nearer to fruition.

I reported previously results of trials of one pancreatic treatment at Israel’s Sheba hospital. Sheba are now starting Phase 3 trials of another, CPI-613 (devimistat) from Israeli biotech Rafael, which can also treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia and other cancers.

Israel Technion Professor Marcelle Machluf has developed tumor-shrinking technology using normally “good” mesenchymal stem cells that tumors hi-jack to help them grow. Machluf’s team removed the cells’ contents and filled the membranes with chemotherapy.  They lure and destroy tumors.