Israel Active

The US FDA has approved the 40-ml dose of Multiple Sclerosis medication Copaxone from Israel’s Teva. The new higher dosage allows MS patients to reduce the number of injections from a daily frequency to just three times a week.

Israeli biotech BiondVax announced that tests prove its universal flu vaccine matches all six pandemic strains in the world today. They include bird flu strains H5N1 and H7N9, which have spread to humans and killed hundreds of people.

Last year 90,000 Israelis signed new ADI donor cards, bringing the total of registered holders to 787,087. 109 of those who received organs were advanced in the queue because they carried the card. In addition, 769 people received cornea transplants giving them the gift of sight.

Scientists at Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Universities have found that an important cell-maintenance process called “autophagy” is reduced in the brains of schizophrenic patients due to low levels of the protein beclin 1. Medication to boost beclin 1 levels could offer a new way to treat schizophrenia.

Israel’s Pluristem announced that patients treated with PLX-PAD stem cells had a greater improved change of maximal voluntary muscle contraction force than the placebo group. The Phase I/II clinical trial shows that PLX cells can help repair orthopedic injuries including muscles and tendons.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Trans-Catheter Aortic-Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedures are saving thousands of lives but are extremely difficult to perform. The Acwire from Israel’s MediValve allows cardiologists to implant these heart valves at exactly the right position. Acwire has just received European CE mark approval.

Complications from pressure ulcers (bedsores) are a big problem for hospital patients, and leads to 60,000 deaths in the US each year. Hospitals are installing the MAP (Monitor Alert Protect) system from Israel’s Wellsense. A pressure-sensing mat alerts nurses to reposition patients regularly.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) begins as a mild bacteria infection but can develop into the deadly flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered how this bacterium metamorphoses, opening the door to future possible treatments.

Israeli biotech Novocure’s clinical study of its NovoTTF therapy for pancreatic cancer demonstrated a significant decrease in cell count and reduced tumor volume. Its effectiveness was enhanced when combined with chemotherapy.

Administering medication is a hazardous task. Standard syringes risk exposing hospital staff to dangerous chemicals. The Israeli-manufactured Equashield provides the safe, simple and sterile transfer of meds, preventing contamination and spillage.