Israeli Scientists Offer Real Challenge for ALS

Using stem cells from the patient, Israeli scientists may have developed a revolutionary cure for ALS.

The world is currently captivated by ‘the ice-bucket challenge’ which is geared towards raising awareness and funds for research to find a cure for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease.

While celebrities around the world are dumping buckets of cold water on their heads, Israeli scientists rolled up their sleeves and have possibly made a medical breakthrough, which gives hope for a cure for the neurodegenerative disease.

Optimistic and Surprised by the Results

The research, developed by the Israeli medical company BrainStorm and based on the research of Profs. Eldad Melamed and Daniel Offen of Tel Aviv University, is only in its initial stages, but the innovative cure has considerably improved the state of several patients. One had been told by Mayo Clinic staff that he had two to four years to live; only a month into his treatment cycle, he is up and walking.

One of the doctors working on the cure, Dr, Demetrius Krosis, stated that he was deeply moved and excited by the encouraging results.

Using stem cells from the ALS patient as the basis for the cure, Krosis believes that despite the innovative research, there still is a long way to go before it offers a comprehensive solution to the debilitating disease.

Author: Aryeh Savir
Staff writer, United with Israel