General

A Novel Artificial Pancreas System

An aritifical pancreas system that maintains near-normal glucose levels by injecting both insulin and glucagon was succesfully demonstrated on a small number of patients An artificial pancreas system that closely mimics the body's blood sugar control mechanism was able to maintain near-normal glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia in a small group of patients. The system, combining a blood glucose monitor and insulin pump technology with software that directs administration of insulin an...

Enzymotec: a $20 M Deal with Daiichi Sankyo

Israeli biotech company Enzymotec Ltd., a developer of active pharmaceutical ingredients for nutritional supplements, has signed a major strategic agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Brazil, a subsidiary of Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. (TSE: 4568). Globes, 6 May Enzymotec and Daiichi Sankyo Brazil will launch Enzymotec's product for the reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides, which Daiichi Sankyo Brazil will market. Daiichi Sankyo Brazil focuses on cardiology a...

Antioxidants Cause Genetic Abnormalities?

A new research reveals that high doses of antioxidants cause stem cells to develop genetic abnormalities, paving the way for cancer When people look back on the beginning of the 21st century, they might think this was the time of the antioxidants. Antioxidants supplements are being sold everywhere, usually without a doctor prescription, as a way to halt aging, heart diseases and whatever else is promised on the label. But current research, published online in the medical journal Stem Cells, r...

Medtronic buys ATS: Cardiology Shopping Spree Is Not Over

Last week Medtronic announced its plan to acquire the American ATS Medical for $370 million in cash and debt - an offer that represents a 54 percent premium over ATS Medical’s closing price of $2.54 the day before. The move is supposed to strengthen Medtronic's position in the expanding cardiovascular market. It adds to a series of purchases made by the medical device giant in the last two years, paying a total of more than $2 Billion. In 2009, Medtronic has spent over $1 billion to ...

May 5th: Healthcare Reform Webinar

U.S. Health Care Reform Webinar - A Special Presentation for Israeli Pharma, Biotech and Medical Device Companies and Their Investors     Please register for this live webinar.   Meeting Description:    Drug and Biologics Manufacturers: Medicare and Medicaid drug coverage changes Annual fee for branded prescription drug manufacturers Biosimilars   Medical Device Manufacturers: Excise tax Essential Health Benefits Package   Heal...

The Power Solution: Thermoelectric Generators to Sustain Implanted Medical Devices

Efficient thermoelectric generators were recently published as a possibly efficient way to sustain implanted medical devices Let's face it: we're dealing with an aging population. There's no way around this fact, and the obvious implication is that in the future we're going to need better heart pacemakers and better systems for insulin injection. The future seems to be heading towards more sophisticated implantable machinery, be it pacemakers or sustainable drug-release devices inside the bod...

Plastics that Distort DNA Readings

A new research reveals that polypropylene tubes can contaminate solutions in the PCR and distort the DNA spectrometer readings. One year ago, a group of researchers at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem reported a sharp rise in the diagnoses of a certain metabolic disorder. To those of us who live in Jerusalem, fear not. Other than the Holyland story, nothing really happened in the Israeli capital in the last year. The only change is that the lab at Hadassah changed th...

3-6 May: Bio International Convention in Chicago

On May 3rd to 6th, the global event for biotechnology will go open in Chicago, with more than 1,700 exhibitions, and a strong Israeli presence. To the Conference Site Schedule of Events Bio- International Convention 2010 May 3rd – 6th Companies exhibiting and holding meetings at the Israel national pavilion. Booth #2548 Monday, May 3rd AICC LSPG Mission Breakfast Event, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, NBC Tower, Suite 3600 455 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, 7:00 – 10:30 AM Tuesday, M...

The Potential of Smart-phones in Biomedicine

Medical apps for iPhone can be found aplenty, and soon to come are biomedical apps that interact with implants and monitor vital signs. A few weeks ago I received my first iPhone, and ever since I’ve had a blast of a time. This single, tiny device, can take the place of so many other utilities: books, movie and music players and yes – even portable game systems. It all depends on the apps you choose to download to your iPhone, of which there is a wide variety. Of all the applications I ve...

Avraham Pharmaceuticals: $9 M Funding for a Multy-functional Alzheimer drug

Avraham Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has raised $9 million from Yissum Research Development Company (the technology transfer arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Pontifax, Clal Biotechnology Industries (CBI), Professor Marta Weinstock-Rosin and others.   Yissum has announced that, together with the Technion Research and Development Foundation (TRDF), the technology transfer arm of the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, it will exclusively license to Avraham the commercial rights of La...