Israel Active

Ben Gurion University researchers have discovered accidentally that alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) could prevent deadly infections in immune system-compromised patients.  Lethal bacteria in mice were practically eradicated by AAT therapy within 24 hours.

The US FDA and the European Medicines Agency have awarded Israel’s stem cell therapy developer Gamida Cell orphan status for its NiCord leukemia treatment. NiCord treats acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome.

A breakthrough by researchers at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem will allow early detection and possible prevention of colon and uterine cancers.  They have discovered a genetic mutation that can identify at-risk patients.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Quiet Therapeutics has developed “GAGomers,” a new class of nano-particles (coated with glycosaminoglycan, or GAGs, a polysugar) that specifically target tumors and blood cancers based on a biomarker expressed on malignant tissue.

Israel’s Teva continues to help keep down US health costs by launching generic versions of two leading antibiotics - Zyvox (linezolid), and Nafcillin - injectable antibiotics for the treatment of severe infections.  Teva also has launched a generic blood-pressure treatment.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Intel Israel has developed an advanced analytics platform for researching the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.  The system can work with smart watches linked to a smartphone and can handle 300 observations per second from each participant.

On Dec 3rd (International Disabilities Day) Beit Issie Shapiro – Israel’s leading organization for developing therapies for disabled children – launched its Technology Consulting Center, to share its expertise in the field of disabilities and technology.  Also, an amazing video.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Israeli physician Dr. Rami Cohen has developed a proprietary platform for healthcare workers to easily create personalized instructional videos for patients. uses clips and graphics to generate videos in the time it takes to produce a prescription.

Israel’s NeuroDerm has announced positive results for its Phase II trials of ND0612H, intended for severe Parkinson’s disease patients. The results indicate that ND0612H may provide an effective alternative therapy to current treatments requiring surgery.

Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have demonstrated that brains of mammals (including humans) contain a 3D compass.  Microelectrode recordings revealed that certain neurons activate only when the head is at a particular 3D angle.  It explains conditions such as vertigo and disorientation.