Functional human liver cells were successfully grown in an Israeli lab, and Israel’s Enopace has seen the first operation to implant its new catheter-based neuro-stimulator to treat patients with congestive heart failure.

By: Michael Ordman

 

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Functional human liver cells grown in the Lab

More news of the work of Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Yaakov Nahmias. Now he has been able to use the chemical Oncostatin to double the speed of liver cell production outside the body.

http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/28143

First implantation of groundbreaking heart device

Israel’s Enopace has seen the first operation to implant its new catheter-based neuro-stimulator to treat patients with congestive heart failure. The procedure was performed by Professor Davor Milicic, head of Cardiology at Zagreb Medical University.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worlds-first-endovascular-neuromodulation-device-implanted-in-man-for-the-treatment-of-congestive-heart-failure-540696751.html

Success in trials of arthritis treatment

Israeli biotech Kitov has announced that its KIT-302 treatment for osteoarthritis successfully reduced arthritic pain in UK trials on 152 patients, without risk of heart problems. In fact KIT-302 is the only treatment for both osteoarthritis and hypertension (high blood pressure).
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/12/16/kitov-pharmas-arthritis-drug-meets-main-goal-in-late-stage-study/

Japan turns to Israeli tech to treat radiation disease

Japan’s Fukushima Medical University and Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics are to develop Pluristem’s PLX-R18 cells to treat acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Radiation continues to spread following the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/japan-turns-to-israeli-tech-to-treat-radiation-disease/

Prize-winning voice technology

Israel’s VoiceITT won the 2015 Medica medical app competition in Dusseldorf with its Talkitt platform that translates the speech of people with communication disabilities. Medica is the world’s largest medical trade fair, attracting nearly 5,000 exhibitors from 70 nations.
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/12/10/4-israeli-startups-sweep-international-medical-app-contest/

Breakthrough status for Tardive Dyskinesia treatment

The US FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation status to Israel’s Teva for its SD-809 (deutetrabenazine) treatment of patients with tardive dyskinesia, a hyperkinetic movement disorder affecting about 500,000 people in the USA.
http://www.tevapharm.com/news/teva_announces_breakthrough_therapy_designation_for_sd_809_granted_by_fda_for_the_treatment_of_tardive_dyskinesia_11_15.aspx

Weizmann in joint research for brain therapies

Israel’s Weizmann Institute has entered into a research agreement with India’s Sun Pharma and Spain’s Health Research Institute of Santiago to develop products for treating neurological diseases such as brain stroke and brain cancer.
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/sun-pharma-inks-pact-for-brain-therapies/article7971997.ece

Micro-pancreas can cure diabetes

Israel’s Betalin has significantly increased the lifetime of pancreatic beta cells transplanted into diabetics in order to produce insulin. This has been achieved by simultaneously transplanting an Engineered Micro Pancreas (EMP) to sustain the cells.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-startup-aims-to-end-insulin-injections-1001086686
http://www.betalintherapeutics.com/

$20 million donation to medical research

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, is donating $20 million to fund research in personalized medicine. The Kraft Endowment will allow scientists and physicians to use a patient’s genetic history to understand a disease, then diagnose and develop tailored treatments.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/robert-kraft-donating-20m-to-personalized-medicine-research/

 

Click here for all of this week’s Good News from Israel.