Pancreatic cancer treatment ready for trials

Israel’s Silexion Therapeutics (see previously) received Israeli Ministry of Health approval to initiate a Phase 2/3 trial of SIL204 in locally advanced pancreatic cancer, marking advancement to clinical-stage development. SIL204 targets a range of common KRAS mutations.

International Life Science & Health-Tech week

Jerusalem hosted Israel’s premier health-tech conference (March 17–18), showcasing breakthroughs in emergency medicine, ophthalmology and Tech-Bio.  New Israeli technologies for “hospital-at-home” and remote monitoring during emergencies were a core focus.

Sheba rises to 7th best in the world

Israel's Sheba Medical Center rose to seventh place in Newsweek and Statista’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals ranking, extending its streak to eight years on the list. Its new Roman Abramovich Theranostics and Nuclear Medicine Center is expected to treat more than 16,000 patients a year.

First robotic heart surgery in the Middle East

Israel’s Sheba and Poriya Medical Centers have together performed the first robotic heart surgery in Israel and the Middle East using the da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system. It is less invasive, carries lower surgical risk, and shortens both hospital stay and recovery time.

New medical center in Netivot

The “Hadassah-Helmsley Netivot", a state-of-the-art medical center, has been inaugurated. It is will provide 150,000 residents of Netivot, the western Negev, and surrounding communities, with advanced diagnostic, treatment, and ongoing care close to home.

Better outcomes for lumbar spinal fusions

Doctors at Israel’s Assuta Medical Center have successfully treated the first Israeli patient enrolled in the international OASIS clinical trial. The study is evaluating a novel biological implant designed to improve outcomes in lumbar spinal fusion surgeries.

Will chemo give benefit

Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed an AI tool to predict the benefit of chemotherapy on breast cancer patients. It examines high-resolution digital images of tumor tissue and uses deep learning to identify patterns in both the cancer cells and their surrounding environment.

Device to treat pancreatic cancer approved

The US FDA has approved Optune Pax, by Israel’s Novocure for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The portable, non-invasive device delivers electrical tumor treating fields (TTFields), to the abdomen to disrupt rapid cancer cell division.

DBS can treat schizophrenia

Researchers at the Rambam Health Care Campus have used DBS (deep-brain stimulation) in the laboratory to counter schizophrenia symptoms. DBS acts on the brain’s decision-making process, to cure cognitive inflexibility – the source of schizophrenia’s hallucinations and chaotic behavior.

Treatment for traumatic memory

Medical startup Kailo is developing the first-ever medication designed to directly treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It follows research at the University of Haifa in which scientists are developing a peptide to neutralize the pathological “amplification” of fear memories..