Israel Active

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s Mazor Robotics received its first order for a Renaissance surgical robotic system from Turkey. Mazor’s Turkish distribution partner Cordamed Biomedical Engineering will install the system at a major hospital in Istanbul.

Israeli bio-med Aposense has successfully completed pre-clinical studies for the ATT-11T molecule for early stage treatment of colon cancer. ATT-11T works in tandem with Pfizer’s Camptosar (generic name Irinotecan) to improve its effectiveness with fewer side effects.

Ola Mundo (“Hello World ” in Spanish) transmits instant messages using symbols for people whose speaking or writing ability is severely impaired. Israel’s Ophir Harel developed the world’s first and only symbolic communication app to help his 10-year-old autistic son.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Being wheeled into an operating room is a stressful experience for everyone. The Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel has now decided to try and alleviate that anxiety among its youngest patients by pushing them in pedal cars.

Israel’s Cell Cure Neurosciences has been awarded a grant of NIS 6.1 million from the Office of the Chief Scientist. The grant will help finance the human clinical trials in 2014 of OpRegen, a cell-based therapeutic product for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Israel’s Can-Fite BioPharma has announced positive results in its Phase IIb trial of their CF101 treatment for patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center received a $10 million birthday present from US entrepreneur Warren Buffet.

20,000 babies were born at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem during 2013 – the highest number ever in any Israeli hospital and almost unsurpassed in the world. 2014 will see more delivery rooms, a huge neonatal intensive care unit and new obstetrics wards.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s OrthoSpace has developed the InSpace Balloon. It alleviates pain for patients recovering from massive injury to the rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that stabilize and activate the shoulder. 2000 people in Europe and Israel have used the implant invented by Israeli orthopedic surgeon Dr. Assaf Dekel.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a computer algorithm that identifies genes involved in the aging process. The findings could lead to the development of medication that transforms cells from a diseased state into a healthy one.