Israel Active

BBC Radio 4’s Today Program omitted the fact that the TOOKAD prostate cancer treatment being praised globally, was developed at Israel’s Weizmann Institute.  After protests, BBC News interviewed co-developer Professor Avigdor Scherz.

Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have made a breakthrough in treating triple negative breast cancer. This cancer lacks three receptors that serve as targets for anti-cancer drugs. However, inhibiting molecules EGFR and PYK2 significantly reduces the size of tumors.

Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that a popular food supplement called phosphatidylserine can reverse the effects of the debilitating neurodegenerative disorder Familial Dysautonomia (FD).  It improves the supply route to neurons by reducing levels of enzyme HDAC6.

Amir London, CEO of Israeli biotech Kamada, was interviewed on ILTV Daily about Kamada’s protein purification treatments for lung disease and rabies.  Kamada’s Glassia is also being tested for treating Type 1 diabetes, GVHD and the rejection of bone marrow and lung transplants.

In 2012, MASHAV - Israel Foreign Ministry’s agency for international development cooperation donated the first-ever dialysis unit to Sierra Leone.  Due to the Ebola outbreak, the African country’s first dialysis treatment took place on Dec 15 this year, and a life was saved.

Two thirds of sufferers of blood loss trauma experience hypothermia.  Blood and fluids used in transfusions must be warmed from storage temperatures (4 degrees C) to body heat (37 degrees C). Israeli startup QinFlow’s Warrior portable system does just that – faster than any alternative system.  It recently received US FDA approval.

Israel’s PerfAction Technologies has developed EnerJet (Airgent in the US) - a non-thermal, no-needle, high-pressure jet stream to introduce any kind of healing agent or skin-enhancement material. It removes acne scars, surgical scars etc.  Available in 22 countries including Indonesia and Malaysia.

Yet another example. The BBC radio broadcast itself didn’t mention that the Exablate Neuro ultrasound machine for treating tremor is produced by Israel’s Insightec.  They then buried that fact deep in their report on their website.

Israel inaugurated the Technion Integrated Cancer Center (TICC) in Haifa.  The center is a first-of-its kind hub for global cancer research, which will expedite the discovery of new diagnostic tools and treatments through a collaborative “bench-to-bedside” approach.

In what may be the largest purchase of defibrillators ever made in Israel, volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) organization United Hatzalah recently purchased 1,000 defibrillators - one for each of its volunteers.  The aim is that no one in Israel will die from a treatable cardiac arrest.