By Karin Kloosterman
Israel is known for its medical advances and expertise in agriculture. A new combination of the two, may give rise to a revolutionary new therapy to repair diseased hearts. The therapy, reports the UK’s Telegraph, has the potential to save thousands of lives –– a heart-warming solution for the thousands of Canadians at risk.

The Government of Canada reports that in 2003 heart attacks were a leading cause of death among Canadians, at nearly 50 deaths out of 100,000 people.
Now the healing properties of seaweed (thanks to Mother Nature) and Israeli scientists has been formulated into a biogel (BL-1040) to give heart disease sufferers a new lease on life.

The research, developed by Professors Smadar Cohen and Jonathan Leor from Ben Gurion University, is licensed by BioLineRx a company developing a number of pharmaceuticals. In animal models, the new formulation BL-1040 –– based on a common brown seaweed –– has been shown to dramatically strengthen weakened heart tissues. Experiments revealed that some 90 per cent of animals treated with the gel survived a heart attack. Among those untreated, only 40 percent survived.

Earlier this year, the first clinical human trials began, and will be tested over the next year in Germany, Belgium and Israel on 30 patients. If successful, reports SciAm, the trial will expand to America and could be available in Canada by 2011.
The scientists inject the formulation with a catheter inserted into the groin. When it makes contact with damaged heart tissue, the formulation “gels” and acts as a scaffold, enhancing mechanical support for heart tissue, allowing damaged heart muscles to regrow. A stronger heart is a healthier heart, lessening the risk of future heart attacks.

The company says that BL-1040 represents a “breakthrough approach to supporting cardiac tissue damaged as a result of acute myocardial infarction (MI), improving cardiac function and survival.”

The seaweed-based implant is resorbable and according to the company prevents “pathological enlargement of the left ventricle after the MI.” They add, “It is excreted naturally from the body within six weeks after injection, leaving behind a stronger, more stable heart muscle.”

BL-1040 is currently in Phase 1/2 testing, meaning that there are a number of rigorous tests the drug has to undergo before it is commercially available in Canada and elsewhere. While there are no reports yet from Canadian doctors on the promising new therapy, UK doctors believe that it could save 20,000 lives a year in the UK alone.

BioLineRx is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:BLRX). Its other main drugs in development include BL-1020 for treating schizophrenia (in Phase 2 clinical trials) and additional products for treating cancer, infectious and autoimmune diseases.

Israelis Have a “Thing” for Seaweed

Not only is seaweed found to be “heart smart,” it could also be a promising new biofuel. A TIME Magazine most influential for 2008, Isaac Berzin from Israel, hopes to create biofuel from the slimy stuff, while sparing our atmosphere from greenhouse gases.

See: Looking For a Few Green Men on Forecast Highs.

There is also Seambiotic, an Israeli company with similar green dreams mentioned on EcoGeek.

While we’re on the topic, not long ago Canada’s Oceans Nutrition has partnered with Israel’s Noritech Seaweed to squeeze the most nutrition out of seaweed (thanks to CIIRDF which is looking to fund more joint developments between Israel and Canada).

::Scientific American

::Telegraph

(image credit: Scientific American)

Tweet This Post

No related posts.