Israel Active

(Thanks to Israel21c)  Israeli startup Pneumedicare has developed the Pneumonitor to monitor premature babies on ventilation machines.  A ventilator can cause pneumothorax, in which the infant’s tiny air sacs over-inflate and burst.  Pneumonitor’s alarm sounds an hour before any problem arises. 

Tel Aviv University scientists have discovered that the genetic deletion of the protein Interleukin-1 (IL-1) improves fertility.  It could help increase the effectiveness of IVF treatment. The discovery was made accidentally during research at TAU into IL-1’s role in the hardening of the arteries.

Naomi Elishuv made headlines in September when she played the violin while Israeli surgeons implanted two electrodes in her brain to stop her tremors.  Doctors say Naomi is recovering impressively and they hope the type of implant will soon be used in other cases.

BPH won’t kill you – it stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia – but it can make life uncomfortable for 50% of men over 50 years old and 80% of men over 80.  ClearRing from Israel’s ProArc Medical can address BPH in 10 minutes by a urologist, with no sedation required, and no complications

Israel’s MediWound has commenced a Phase 3 study to valuate the efficacy and safety of its innovative NexoBrid treatment for severe burns in children.  The study plans to be conducted in around 25 sites in Europe and Israel.  NexoBrid removes dead or damaged skin without harming viable tissue.

The European Union and Japan have granted patents to the universal flu vaccine Multimeric-001 (M-001) developed by Israel’s BiondVax.  The ex-Weizmann Institute technology already has patents in the United States, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Russia and Mexico.

The US FDA has approved the innovative ECG system HyperQ Analyzer Rest developed by Israeli biotech BSP.  HyperQ can test patients at rest, diagnosing early-stage heart disease without putting the patient under stress. It is less risky than alternative invasive and radioactivity tests.

The US FDA has given orphan status to Glassia from Israel’s Kamada, to treat Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD).  Preliminary studies indicate that Glassia may be able to treat and reduce the severity of GVHD, a key life-threatening complication of stem cell transplantation from another person.

Phase II trials of liquid levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) (ND0612L) by Israeli biotech NeuroDerm have shown improvements in patients with moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease.

The Israeli app GlassesOff has been tested successfully on 32 Israeli Air Force pilots.  On average, a 35% improvement in visual acuity (sharpness and clarity) was achieved after 3 months of exercises for just 12-15 minutes, three times a week.  GlassesOff improves the brain, not the eyes.