Israel Active

Israel’s Averna Therapeutics (formerly Exsilio Therapeutics) is using gene editing to develop medicines to cure rare genetic diseases. Averna’s leadership includes Tal Zaks who was Chief Medical Officer at Covid-19 vaccine developer Moderna. Averna has already raised $82 million in funds.

Researchers from Israel’s Weizmann Institute have developed IPHOMED - a method for mapping all the proteins in a person’s microbiome. Some act as natural antibiotics, killing good bacteria and possibly causing inflammatory bowel disease. Problem proteins in food can also be mapped.

Israel’s OMGene is developing an AI decision-support system based on personal genetic information. It links the genome to a database of health, psychological, and social characteristics, from thousands of individuals and generates recommendations e.g., on sleeping, relationships, hobbies, health etc.

The AI accident prediction system (see previously) built by the IDF for Israel’s United Hatzalah, really works. It sent a team to the Azrieli Mall in Ramat Gan just as someone began suffering a heart attack. With 14% of UH’s volunteers on IDF reserve duty, the system is literally a life-saver.

This article describes the life-saving work of the charity Belev Echad (see previously).  It facilitates the recovery of wounded men and women of the IDF through physical, medical, legal, emotional and financial support. And sometimes it requires a miracle.

This article features medical clowns alleviating both physical and mental suffering - for children and adults. (Aside, I went to see a friend in hospital recently who was visited by clowns while he was on a video call to his work office. “You’re at the circus!” his colleagues exclaimed.)

Israel’s Omnix Medical (see previously) has completed Phase 1 trials of its lead antimicrobial, nature-derived, peptide OMN6 on 80 patients to show its safety. It is now starting Phase 2 FDA-approved clinical trials to establish its efficacy, especially on superbugs.

Israel’s Raphael announced positive proof-of-concept clinical study results of its HPC1 non-psychoactive cannabinoid-based formula developed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. 12 adult participants reported lower pain levels and better sleep quality.

Israel’s Brain.Q (see previously) has received the CE-Mark for its BQ 2.0 system, designed to reduce disability following ischemic stroke, the number one cause of disability worldwide. Brain.Q is also enrolling in the EMAGINE II pivotal study to seek US-FDA clearance.

The US FDA has granted Fast Track Designation to Israel’s BioGenCell (see previously) for the development of BGC101 – its lead candidate for treating severe Critical Limb Threatening Ischemia (CLTI).