Israel Active

I reported previously that Israel’s UroGen Pharma had been granted FDA’s Orphan status for its treatment of malignant Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. It has now received Breakthrough Therapy Designation status to help speed up development.

Israeli biotech Cellect is developing stem cell technology that may extend individual human life far beyond what currently can be conceived.  And a new international study forecasts Israeli life-expectancy to rise to 84.4 by 2040, giving Israel a world ranking of 7 (currently 13).

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have identified certain proteins in the human body that are key to progressing or preventing diseases such as cancer. They have mapped protein to protein interactions and are confident they can develop new treatments for those diseases.

I reported previously on Israeli start-up Healthy.io that allows patients to test their urine at home, using a smartphone camera. Patients with kidney disease (for example) can closely monitor their condition. Siemens Healthineers is now partnering Healthy.io to provide testing kits.

I reported previously that Israel Technion researchers have proved that positive emotions have the ability to shrink tumors. Here is another couple of articles about their research.

This video highlights seven ways that Israelis exercise to stay fit and healthy.

I wrote previously about a seriously ill baby boy, born to Syrian refugees in Cyprus being flown to Israel for emergency heart surgery. He is now making a good and steady recovery in Israel’s Sheba Hospital after a second heart operation.

A $10 million cutting-edge heart center has been dedicated at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. The center more than doubles the department’s capacity to treat heart patients with 32 extra cardiac beds, 11 post-catherization beds and 11 intensive care private rooms.

I reported previously on the recovery from muscle injury of hip-replacement patients treated with PLX-PAD stem cells from Israel’s Pluristem. Follow-up data has now confirmed the results and expanded Phase III trials are being supported by the European Horizon 2020 program.

Israeli-US startup TrialJectory helps match (initially) melanoma patients with clinical trials appropriate to their condition.  The patient provides details of themselves and their cancer to TrialJectory. An algorithm and AI (Artificial Intelligence) then select trials likely to be effective.