Israel Active

Professor Zelig Eshhar of Israel’s Weizmann Institute and Professor Alexander Levitzki of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University shared the EMET Life Sciences award for their cancer research. Eshhar’s award was for his adaptive immunotherapy treatment; Levitski for his protein kinases inhibitors.

Parkinson’s sufferer Yocheved Mintz was part of a group visit to Israel’s Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. One of Rambam’s doctors mentioned the hospital’s cutting-edge work on curing Parkinson’s patients of their tremors. Yocheved asked for the treatment, and now she is cured.

I reported previously () about the invasively implantable MobiusHD device from Israel’s Vascular Dynamics which reduces high blood pressure. MobiusHD is undergoing trials, has CE approval and is on the FDA’s Expedited Access Pathway program. It has also just received $10.4 million of funds.

I reported previously on the non-invasive urine test of Israel’s Nucleix for monitoring bladder cancer treatment. Following a multi-center, 400-patients clinical trial, Nucleix has received the CE Mark allowing it to market Bladder EpiCheck in the E.U.

Dr. Michal Lotem is head of the Center for Melanoma and Cancer Immunotherapy at Hadassah Medical Center. Instead of going after the cancer, they target the immune system, boosting it to respond more aggressively to the disease.

Israel’s CorAlert is developing a non-invasive monitor that can diagnose heart failure in real-time. Sensors on the arm and chest, a pressure cuff and a proprietary algorithm estimate Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP), an indicator of heart failure.  CorAlert’s CEO Amir Marmor explains on ILTV.

After her father suffered a brain injury, Israeli neuroscientist Son Preminger founded Intendu – which has developed motion-based adaptive video games for brain training and rehabilitation. These adapt in real time to the cognitive and physical abilities of the user.

When Israeli charity Ezer Mizion told a young law student she was a 100% bone marrow match for a 40-year-old female cancer patient, she jumped at the chance to save a life.  But the patient’s health deteriorated and the operation was canceled. Then one day, during law exams, another window opened to save the woman.

Eli Beer explains how the United Hatzalah model of life-saving has revolutionized the field of pre-ambulatory emergency care in Israel and the impact that it is making around the world. The latest 180 new ambucycles was the largest dedication of emergency vehicles in Israel’s history.

Israeli Life Sciences companies received $823 million in funds last year, representing 20% of all investments in Israeli high-tech. There are currently around 1,350 active life-sciences companies in Israel – of which 42% are in the medical devices sub-sector.