Israel Active

In June I highlighted Integrity Application’s GlucoTrack that takes readings from your earlobe. Now I’ve come across Cnoga’s TensorTip Combo Glucometer which measures the effect of infrared light passing through a finger. Diabetics now have a choice of Israeli devices.

Cancer Research UK’s technology development arm, and Teva Pharmaceuticals have signed a multi-project alliance agreement to research and develop first-in-class cancer drugs that modulate DNA damage and repair response (DDR) processes in cancer cells. The US FDA also approved two of Teva’s cancer medications - for secondary cancers and for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Trials of Deep TMS treatment by Israel’s Brainsway at Sheba Medical Center have shown a 27 percent improvement in patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. These were OCD patients that had previously failed to respond to both pharmacological and psychological therapy.

A non-invasive handwriting analysis technique developed at the University of Haifa and Rambam Medical Center can detect the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Changes in handwriting occur years before a clinical diagnosis can be made. Much safer than current tests.

(Thanks to NoCamels.com) Dr. Sarit Larisch of the University of Haifa has discovered a protein called ARTS that triggers cell death. It is found to be lacking in cancerous tissue. The research can lead to a pre-cancer marker and development of similar molecules that can stop tumors forming.

Israeli biotech Gamida has successfully transplanted just its manipulated NiCord stem cells into patients with blood cancer. The impact is to reduce recovery times even further from the two years achieved from using NiCord combined with non-manipulated stem cells.

The United States FDA has granted orphan drug status to Israeli biotech BioLineRX’s BL-8040 treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Because there are limited alternatives, BioLineRX will now receive US Federal support, financial assistance and market exclusivity.

Israeli biotech KAHR Medical plans to trial KAHR-102, one of its groundbreaking Signal Converting Proteins (SCP), for the treatment of lymphatic cancer.

Researchers at Israel’s Technion have developed an antioxidant 1-FE that lowers cholesterol. It also eliminates oxygen free radicals that cause organs and tissues to age. The compound could be an important alternative to statins in the fight against heart disease.

Active Implants, whose R&D center is in Netanya Israel, is looking for patients in Israel and Europe willing to join the trial of its NUsurface Meniscus Implant. The novel, composite polymer implant is for osteoarthritis patients who have pain and disability but are too old or young for a total knee replacement.