Positive results in Type 1 diabetes treatment study
Israel’s Redhill Biopharma announced preliminary positive data from a pre-clinical study with RHB-104 for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Trials of RHB-104 for treating Crohn’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis are on going and are planned for Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Researchers find major clue toward Alzheimer’s cure
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered one of the reasons for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. A molecular mechanism involving amyloid precursor protein (APP) elevates brain neuron function and “short-circuits” brain communications.
ReWalk gets US FDA approval
US health regulators have approved the ReWalk exoskeleton system developed by Israel’s Argo Medical. ReWalk’s leg braces, motion sensors and motorized joints respond to subtle changes in upper-body movement and shifts in balance, allowing paraplegics to stand and walk.
Doctors remove 8 objects swallowed by infant
Specialists at Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petah Tikvah extracted 8 various foreign bodies from the esophagus of a 14-month-old infant. Gastroenterologists, nutritionists and otolaryngologists extracted pumpkin seeds, orange pits, humous balls and various pebbles.
A clinic to help diabetics age better
The Center for Successful Aging with Diabetes at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer is a model for how diabetes can be managed. Patients get a five-hour physical and cognitive checkup plus a plan of how to manage diabetes and avoid complications such as dementia.
Non-invasive test for bladder cancer
Israeli biotech Nucleix has raised more than $5 million to finance its test for early detection of bladder cancer. Nucleix uses epigenetics (tiny changes in a cell’s DNA) to identify cancer cells. In the future, the product could also be used to test for colon, lung and prostate cancers.
NaNose cancer detector is ready to market
In international trials, the lung cancer detector developed by Technion’s Dr. Hossam Haick correctly diagnosed early-stage malignant tumors 90% of the time - far better than previous methods. The device has been licensed to Boston’s Alpha Szenszor, for development to market.
Vegetable collagen gel to treat wounds
(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israeli health organization Maccabi is to commence trials of the Vergenix flowable gel developed by Israel’s CollPlant. Two Maccabi wound clinics will use Vergenix to treat patients with chronic leg ulcers. Vergenix is based on CollPlant’s plant-based collagen.
Druse brothers both given heart transplants
13-year-old Dani, from the Druse village of Hurfeish, was born with a genetic disease that weakens the cardiac muscle. He has now received a new heart at Israel’s Schneider Children’s Medical Center. His brother Rani had the same disorder and received a new heart in 2011.
Nepal uses Israeli public-health model
(Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) program has reached mostly poor communities in more than 90 countries since 1960. Recently the model was implemented, on request, in Nepal at Dhulikhel Hospital in Kathmandu.