Israel Active

Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists have discovered 27 new molecules that could treat fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetic nephrotoxicity, and to heal wounds. They devised an algorithm to search a database of 1.56 million molecules for those with therapeutic potential.

I reported previously on Israel’s TytoCare and its digital stethoscope that diagnoses a patient and sends the data electronically to a remote physician.  TytoCare has now received European and Canadian approval to match its US approval and plans to expand in Europe and Asia.

When hospital patients cannot communicate with their relatives, it can be very distressing for both. Which is why Israeli NGO Ezer Mizion the “Handbook for the Hospitalized Patient.” It is built as a flowchart - the patient then answers “yes” and “no” questions to communicate successfully.

13 Israeli bio-techs were featured at Biomed World in Jerusalem, organized by non-profit JLM-BioCity and its volunteers promoting Jerusalem’s bio-community.  The 2nd video is of Avi Kleiman, who founded RenalSense after his father’s kidneys failed.

US prescription benefits manager CVS Health Corp. has added Teva’s new Ajovy anti-migraine treatment to its coverage.  Express Scripts (the largest prescription benefits management company in the U.S) has now added Ajovy to its national preferred formulary of 2019.

I reported previously on Israeli startup Air Doctor that locates a trusted physician if you fall sick abroad. It books an appointment and organizes re-imbursement via your holiday insurance company. Air Doctor now functions in some 15 countries and has vetted nearly 20,000 doctors.

Israel’s Wisdo is a social app that links those suffering from one of life’s challenges with those who have successfully negotiated that challenge. It already links 500,000 users who select one of over 100 conditions including anxiety, relationships, body positive, motivation and increasing happiness.

Israel’s Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies (AEBi) is developing an anti-cancer technology that identifies multiple peptides (small proteins) for targeting specific cancer cells and any mutations. Each treatment will also include a toxin to suppress the cancer’s ability to deactivate the treatment.

Refai Amer, a Muslim Israeli-Arab from Kfar Qassim is a volunteer medic for Israel’s United Hatzalah. He recently went to Mecca for the Haj, taking his medkit with him. In the middle of prayers, surrounded by around 7 million worshippers, he saved the life a man suffering from a hypoglycemia.

Israelis Yariv Adan and Ariel Assaf are the co-founders of Lab 39, developer of the Genie pain tracker. It comprises a wristband with sensors that track sleep patterns, physical activity and heart rate. Its partner is a smartphone app which requests the patient to enter a pain score several times a day.