Israel Active

(M) Here’s a rare positive Israel article from CNN.  It describes the exoskeleton from Israel’s ReWalk that is changing the lives of paraplegics.  People previously confined to wheelchairs can now walk upright once again.  (Stop video after 2 minutes.)

(Israel21c)  Israeli startup Medivizor uses patent-pending technology to find the most essential information applicable for each individual’s medical situation.  Medivizor won 4 prestigious competitions in 2014, was highlighted by Forbes and is recommended by doctors to their patients.

(M) A joint Israeli-UK project is testing whether a pacemaker emitting pulsating blue and yellow light can be used to regulate the beating of newly implanted heart tissue generated by stem cells.  Also interesting because the UK’s Independent newspaper rarely includes any positive Israeli news.

The Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange partnership (BIRAX) has pledged £3.2 million of funding for eight joint stem cell research projects to develop therapies for diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease and Multiple Sclerosis.  UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the research “has the potential to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people.”

Crowdfunding - funds from a large number of individuals over the Internet – have enabled researchers at Tel Aviv University to conduct Whole Exome Sequencing and identify the genetic mutation responsible for mental retardation and severe developmental delays in children.

Another Israeli company is countering the risk of contracting infections in hospital. Nano-Textiles coats hospital textiles (bed linen and clothing) with nano-particles of Zinc and Copper oxides that kill even antibiotic-resistant bacteria.  Nano-Textiles plans to raise $3 million on Wall Street.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Here is a new report about the TTFields scalp device from Israel’s Novocure that slows the growth of brain tumors.  (Previously reported in Nov 2014).

(Thanks to Israel21c) Two Israeli startups have received Israeli Government grants to develop their products for diagnosing pneumonia.  RespiDX’s Respimometer has sensors to measure breathing.  NanoVation-GS’s stick-on patch has a film with a nano-sensor to measure respiration.

Israeli biotech SteadyMed has developed a disposable patch pump delivery system to administer medicines safely and accurately into the body.  SteadyMed plans to raise $55 million on NASDAQ.

Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics has announced that the improvement in muscle force of hip-replacement patients treated with its PLX-PAD cells was 40-times better than those who received a placebo.