Israel Active

Israeli biotech Compugen announced that the protein CGEN-15022, discovered by the company, has the potential for treating liver, colorectal, lung and ovarian cancers through monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy.

Professor Eitan Reuveny of the Weizmann Institute has discovered the protein SARAF that prevents high levels of Calcium in the body. It has implications for sufferers of prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and dilated cardiomyopathy – all accompanied by abnormal calcium levels.

Hadassah University medical scientists have produced stem cells that are not contaminated with animal components. They are already being used by Cell Cure Neurosciences to develop a treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Medgenics has announced that its Israeli-developed INFRADURE Biopump for the treatment of Hepatitis D has received orphan drug status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means a faster regulatory process, grants, tax credits and market exclusivity.

Dune Medical Devices Ltd. has received a favorable recommendation from an US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel for the company's flagship product, the MarginProbe, for real-time breast cancer detection of excised tissue in the operating room.

Col. (ret.) Dr. John McManus is in Israel for the Rambam Medical Conference. Amongst his praise for Israeli medical staff, he tells of the large numbers of US servicemen’s lives saved by the US military’s adoption of Israeli battlefield medical techniques.

That’s the target of scientists at the Israeli Technion’s Lokey Lifescience centre in Haifa. It will allow doctors to prescribe drugs tailored to the individual’s DNA, rather than generic to the condition. Watch this video and marvel at this and other amazing Israeli medical research.

At the President’s Conference in Jerusalem, scientists presented Israel’s innovative research and devices including a neuro-stimulator implanted in the brain for treating Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.

At 79.6 years, only men in Switzerland (79.9) and Iceland (79.7) live longer than Israeli men. According to Ha’aretz, the reasons are money and diet. With 25% of Israelis living below the poverty line and all the fried food, I doubt it! Medical science seems likelier.

I was torn as to whether to include this news story because it is sad that the hospital had to be built. However, it shows that Israel’s priority is to life.