Tel Aviv University Professor Udi Qimron has published in PNAS his research about bacterial viruses (phages) that attack bacteria. The phages transfer “edited” DNA into resistant bacteria to kill off resistant strains and make others more sensitive to antibiotics. Clinical … Continue reading →

Israel’s Teva continues to help keep down US health costs by launching generic versions of two leading antibiotics – Zyvox (linezolid), and Nafcillin – injectable antibiotics for the treatment of severe infections.  Teva also has launched a generic blood-pressure treatment. … Continue reading →

Researchers from Israel’s Weizmann have uncovered the process that bacteria deploys to remove antibiotics from cells. The discovery sheds new light on the ability of bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance. http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/arms-race

The common dilemma as to whether you have an infection or a virus can now be tested quickly thanks to a team of researchers from Ben Gurion University. http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=229980

Israel’s Sequentify (see here previously) was awarded a grant by the Israel Innovation Authority to help develop a targeted DNA sequencing panel for infectious disease research, focusing on pathogen diagnosis and antibiotic resistance surveillance. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sequentify-awarded-grant-by-israel-innovation-authority-for-infectious-disease-sequencing-panel-302031466.html

A Weizmann Institute-led international team of researchers has found how bacteria in the gut microbiome affects the body’s response to cancer immunotherapy (see also here previously). Also, patients treated with specific antibiotics had a poor response to CAR-T cancer treatment. … Continue reading →

For the first time worldwide, researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute for Biological Research have developed an mRNA-based vaccine that is 100% effective against plague bacteria, lethal to humans. It also works against antibiotic resistant bacteria. https://english.tau.ac.il/mrna_vaccine … Continue reading →

Arizona’s Tucson ER & Hospital has adopted the bacteria vs virus test from Israel’s MeMed (see here previously). The test distinguishes viral from bacterial infection within 15 minutes and avoids wasting antibiotics on a virus. https://www.me-med.com/press-releases/tucson-er-hospital-adopts-trailblazing-memed-bv-test/

Israel’s MeMed Diagnostics (see here previously) has received US FDA clearance for its MeMed BV blood test that can distinguish, in minutes, between bacterial and viral infections. It can help prevent the inappropriate use of antibiotics that leads to antimicrobial … Continue reading →