Israel Active

The MRI-focused ultrasound brain treatment from Israel’s Insightec is used at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center to cure patients of tremors. One of the patients was afraid of being enclosed in the MRI machine. He underwent hypnosis therapy, had the treatment and now he’s cured!

Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have discovered unique amyloid fibrils used by the deadly antibiotic resistant MRSA bacteria to attack the immune system. It means treatments that inhibit the amyloid formation will neutralize MRSA.

I reported previously about Yehia – the first Afghan child to receive life-saving surgery from Israel’s Save A Child’s Heart.  Now a second toddler, Yakub, has been saved by SACH doctors after arriving from his remote Afghan village via Kabul and Istanbul.

Ofra Grady saw thousands of births, including 11 of her grandchildren, while cleaning the delivery rooms at Israel’s Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot. But she never expected to deliver another grandchild in the family car while her husband was driving them to the hospital.

Doctors at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center used MRI-guided ultrasound from Israel’s Insightec to cure a 60-year-old Palestinian Arab from Bethlehem from severe essential tremor.  He is now able to return to work at his restaurant.

The CT-scan version of the robotic needle from Israel’s XACT has completed successful trials. XACT has signed an agreement with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop further versions. It has also raised another $5 million of funds.

Non-cataract patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who cannot wait for the Nano-Retina implant,  can already be fitted with the Israel-developed Implantable Miniature Telescope from VisionCare.  Trials are also starting shortly for post-cataract patients.

Israel’s Inomize has teamed up with Israel’s Nano-Retina to help build the tiny integrated circuits (ASICs) for Nano-Retina’s Bio-Retina. The implant is designed to restore sight to those suffering from retinal degenerative diseases such as AMD.

Tel Aviv University Professor Illana Gozes has made yet another discovery about the gene fragment NAP and its potential to treat Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. NAP stops abnormal Tau proteins from tangling the microtubules that maintain the brain’s nerve cells.

I reported previously (Dec 2013) that VB-111 from Israel’s Vascular Biogenics (VBL Therapeutics) had been fast-tracked by the US FDA for the treatment of GBM - aggressive brain cancer.  Meanwhile, VBL has announced that VB-111’s Phase 2 trial for thyroid cancer was successful.