Israel Active

Surgeons at Israel’s Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva have performed the first-ever successful transplant in Israel of a small intestine. The patient was a 39-year-old woman who had been fed through a vein since her own intestine was removed two years ago. The donor was an 11-year-old Israeli girl whose other organs saved four children.

The Israeli Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee has allocated NIS 2.5 million for biomedical research to be conducted at hospitals in northern Israel. President Peres made the announcement at the at the Galilee Forum. Eighteen studies have been approved for the project.

(Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israel’s Premia Spine is advancing in “leaps and bounds” with its TOPS spinal implant. Watch the video to see previously crippled 79-year-old Yoda Schwartz running with his TOPS artificial joint. Premia Spine is expanding in Europe and launching into Asia.

(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.