Israel Active

Tel Aviv University inaugurated the Sagol School of Neuroscience - the first of its kind in Israel – at the Sheba Medical Centre in Tel Hashomer. Three Israeli Nobel Prize winners attended the official opening.

Israel’s Teva and Gamida Cell Ltd have completed enrolment of patients for their Phase III clinical trial of StemEx, a cell therapy for the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma. StemEx is for adolescents and adults who cannot find family-related, matched bone marrow donors.

Israel’s Tiltan Pharma Ltd has begun a Phase II clinical trial of its TL-118 drug for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The trial will include 80 patients at three Israeli hospitals. TL-118 prevents blood flow to tumours, preventing their growth. Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem developed the drug.

12-year old Pavel Sadyshev from Kazakhstan suffers from Cerebral Palsy and was unable to walk until the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre brought him to Israel. Doctors at Harofeh used their world-recognised expertise in the field to operate on Pavel, who is now undergoing rehabilitation – all at Israel’s expense.

Israel’s Weizmann Institute scientists managed to trick the immune systems of mice into targeting one of body's players in the autoimmune process - an enzyme known as MMP9. The method has the potential to treat Crohn's plus opens up novel treatments for many other diseases.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem brain scientists have tapped onto the visual cortex of people suffering from congenital blindness by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs) – making it possible for them in effect to “see” and even describe objects. Video camera images are converted into “soundscapes,” using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera.

Abbott Laboratories’ new multi-year collaboration agreement with the Weizmann Institute is already bearing fruit. Its biological diagnosis processing techniques promise to enable Abbot to develop tests that can be performed at home instead of in distant hospitals.

Israel’s InspireMD has announced significant positive results for its trials of its innovative MGuard coronary stent. Wrapped in an expandable mesh, the stent reduces the risk of life-threatening rupture and embolization during and post surgery when compared to traditional bare-metal stents.

50 top North American hospital bosses were shown around Hadassah and Sheba medical centres and they liked what they saw. From clinical care to service, to IT, clinical technology and crisis management. Joseph Mapa, CEO of Toronto’s Mt. Sinai Hospital said, “It’s state-of-the-art.”

Medi-tate Ltd. has obtained Europe’s CE Mark certification for its mechanical Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) device for a minimally invasive procedure to reshape the urethra. Medi-tate says that 15 million American men have the BPH symptom.