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The Life
Sciences Project Bulletin
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New Projects in Gene and Cell Therapy from Israel |
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No.19
– June 2004 |
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Projects
1.
Oncolytic
Herpesvirus Amplicon Vectors for Cancer Gene Therapy 3.
Enrichment Of Repopulating Stem Cells For Clinical
Protocols 5.
New protocols and procedures that focus on cell therapy 6.
Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Use for Cell Therapy and
Tissue Engineering 7.
Gene
Delivery by Sv40 Pseudovirions and Their in Vitro Packaging 8.
Mucosal immunization for viral infections 9.
Development of closed-chest delivery systems for
myocardial gene therapy 10.
Beta-cell replacement in type 1 diabetes: the promise of
stem cells 11.
Herpesvirus Amplicon Vectors for Vaccination 12.
Gene delivery system involving a new vector for gene
therapy 13.
Novel devices for cell-therapy 14.
Multi-fold expansion of hemopoietic stem cells with
minimaldifferentiation 15.
New gene transfection agent for gene therapy 16.
Multi-Gene Vascular Systems 17.
Development of oncolytic viruses intended for cancer
therapy 19.
Novel therapy for atrial fibrillation based on Gene Therapy 21.
Expanding human umbilical cord blood banks 23.
Novel
tools for research in molecular biology and medicine 24.
Laboratory kit for measuring genetic expression In the News
2.
Intel Israel heralds chip breakthrough 3.
U.S. and Israeli Nanotech researchers set sights on clean
water Advertorials
1. Sigma-Aldrich Corp. conducts research and development 2. Health-Invest:
The New Dutch magazine for Life Sciences Announcements
1.
EOI's for the Sixth Framework |
Coming up in the next
bulletins: New projects in “Plant
Biotechnology and Tissue
Culture” Publish
your projects in the Life Sciences Project Bulletin Projects from the previous Bulletins For more
information contact Optin’s Director Drs. Jennifer
Peersmann or call +31-(0)70-3643260 For background
and contact information per project contact: Optin’s Life Sciences Manager
Drs. Eli Guetta Events International Congress on Medical and Care
Compunetics 2-4 June 2004 NCC (Netherlands Congress Centre), The Hague, The Netherlands 30
August - 1 September 2004 De Doelen
Congress Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 28 September –
1 October 2004, includes Nanotechnology and Water Conference
on Monday the 27th of September Europa
Complex (Halls 1 to 7), RAI Exhibition and Conference Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Sponsors The Embassy of The Netherlands MXCard:
Profetional Marketing and Customer Teva
Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd Contributors Yissum
/ The Hebrew University Yeda / Weizmann Institute
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Projects
Oncolytic Herpesvirus
Amplicon Vectors for Cancer Gene Therapy
We describe the derivation of composite oncolytic
vectors for potential use in gene therapy of
(i) solid tumors such as lung carcinoma and brain tumors (ii) T cell
lymphomas. The vectors are derived
from Herpes simplex virus–1 (HSV-1) which targets cells from solid tissues,
including skin and neuronal cells; the Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 (HHV-6 and
HHV-7), which target human lymphocytes. When compared to other available
vectors the amplicon vectors are advantageous due to: (i) large transgene
capacity; (ii) sequence reiterations leading to efficient gene
expression; (iii) the vectors can be
inhibited by drugs, raising vector safety.
The new genes include toxic genes (such as p53), which cause death of
tumor cells and genes that increase the host’s natural immune response
against the tumor. Helper viruses used for the production of the amplicon
vectors contain alterations (mutations) disabling their replication and
spread, and making the vector safe for use. The combination of vector and
helper virus produce efficient tumor cell death and sensitivity to x
irradiation, in addition to raising immunological anti-tumor response.
Preliminary studies have shown prolonged survival of vector treated mice
carrying xenografts of human tumor tissues. A New
Method for Introducing Large Molecules and Genes Into Cells Based on Transient Chemical Disruption of
the Cell Membrane
Introduction of foreign
DNA and antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODN) into cells is a critical
process in molecular biology research, in biotechnology, and in gene based
therapies. Six different techniques are now available for this purpose. Each
has its advantages and drawbacks. This new invented technique has the
potential of being both dependable and less harmful to the cells and thus is
likely to become the best method for introducing large molecules into cells.
The procedure offers a new versatile and dependable method for introducing
large molecules into cells. It has the potential of being the preferred
technique in various fields such as gene therapy and biotechnology. The
process is based on earlier unpublished observation on transient removal of
the membrane barrier by chemical methods. The procedure is now being tested
as a gene transfecting device in several types of cells. Future plans include development of a special
device that allows a very accurate and short (i.e. up to milliseconds)
disruption of the membrane barrier for refinement of the method. Enrichment Of Repopulating
Stem Cells For Clinical Protocols
During development and
in clinical bone marrow transplantation, stem cells migrate to the bone
marrow. Stem cells continuously produce all mature blood cells and are
defined in functional repopulation assays based on their ability to home to
the bone marrow microenvironment and to durably repopulate transplanted
recipients with both myeloid and lymphoid cell. Others and we developed functional in-vivo assays for
human stem cells by transplanting them into immune deficient NOD/SCID mice.
We identified primitive human SCID repopulating cells (SRC), which provide a
means to measure the multilineage engraftment properties of transplanted
human stem cells as a pre clinical model. In addition, this model was also
used to identify malignant SCID Leukemia Initiating Cells (SLIC), based on
their ability to initiate the disease in transplanted mice. Recently we have
extended the use of these models to identify and characterize the role of
chemokines, cytokines, adhesion molecules and stromal cells in stem cell
migration and repopulation. New Invention Stem cell homing and engraftment
require several adhesion interactions, which are not fully understood. We
discovered that the chemokine stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its
receptor CXCR4 are crucial for murine bone marrow engraftment by human SCID
-repopulating stem cells. Treatment of human cells with antibodies to CXCR4
prevented engraftment. In addition, we discovered that SRC engraftment of
NOD/SCID mice is dependent on activation of the major integrins LFA-1, VLA-4,
and VLA-5 by SDF-1. Treatment of human cells with antibodies to either of
these integrins also prevented engraftment. In vitro CXCR4-dependent
migration to SDF-1 of primitive CD34+ /CD38-/low cells correlated with in
vivo engraftment and stem cell function. The cytokines stem cell factor (SCF)
and IL-6 induced CXCR4 expression on immature cells, which potentiated
migration to SDF-1 and engraftment in primary and secondary transplanted
mice. Primitive CD34 -/CD 38-/low cells also express CXCR4, migrate to SDF-1
and engraft NOD/SCID mice. Our results characterize human stem cells as
CXCR4+ CD38-/low cells, which functionally express LFA-1, VLA-4 and VLA-5.
Thus, upregulation of CXCR4 may be useful for improving engraftment of
repopulating stem cells in clinical transplantation. Applications: To
establish human stem cell enrichment kits which are based on expression of
CXCR4, integrins and migration to SDF-1, but not on expression of CD34. To
improve clinical stem cell transplantation by increasing the levels of
repopulating CXCR4+ stem cells in vitro before transplantation by cytokine
stimulation and by improving purging of malignant cells based on their lack
or reduced migration levels to SDF-1. Project Number: ls1005,
Department: Immunology, Weizmann Institute, Israel. Using bioluminescence to monitor gene
expression in live experimental animals:
the first step in developing a human gene imaging machine
We are developing an efficient,
non-invasive system for monitoring the targeting, expression amplitude, and
expression duration of transgenes in living animals. Our system is based on the use of the
firefly luc gene whose gene product, luciferase, converts luciferin into a
bioluminescent substance. The photons
emitted by this bioluminescent substance can be detected by a Charged Coupled
Device (CCD) Camera equipped with a microchannel plate intensifier
system. This method has a broad range
of applications for many tissues and vectors. Coupling the expression of a chosen gene to that of luc will
facilitate the on-going monitoring of transgene expression and that in turn
could expedite the generation of individualized therapies and vaccination
protocols. Furthermore, the system
can be used to monitor the growth rate of tumor cells in a given organ. Thus, this in vivo, quatitative luc-based
imaging system opens new routes for many applications in gene and cell
therapy, vaccination, and tumor development models, as well as the study of
in vivo gene expression. The method
is expeditious and prevents the needless sacrifice of experimental animals at
each experimental time point. In
addition, we plan to use the results of our research to develop a machine for
human gene imaging, that will join the ranks of technologies like CAT scans
and MRI. The development of new programs for gene therapy requires the
assessment of the in vivo delivery and expression of transgenes. The methods currently in use are all
complex, and it is not yet possible to compare the results from various
methods. Furthermore, most of these
are expensive because they require the sacrifice of experimental animals at
each time point. In the presence of
oxygen and ATP, luciferase, the product of the firefly luc gene, converts
luciferin to an active bioluminescent substance. Since it has a linear dose response over a wide range of
concentrations, luc has become a commonly used reporter gene for both in
vitro and in vivo studies. This
emission can be detected using a CCD Camera equipped with a microchannel
plate intensifier system. Such a
camera can detect low amounts of photons emitted by internal mammalian tissue
both in vitro and in vivo. This
system is suitable for quantitatively monitoring the organ targeting and
real-time kinetics of both viral vectors and of ex-vivo manipulated cells in
a single mouse over a long period of time. We used one in vitro and four in
vivo systems: a) HepG2/luc cells
grown in culture; b) HepG2/luc cells grown in vivo in mice after subcutaneous
or c) intrasplenic administration; d) mice injected with recombinant
adenoviruses expressing luc under the control of an SV40 promoter; and e)
mice injected with recombinant adenoviruses expressing luc under the control
of the HIV-1LTR promoter. At each
time that we wished to measure the placement or the expression amplitude of
the luc gene, we administered a measured dose of luciferin. In each case, using the CCD camera
equipped with a microchannel plate intensifier system, we were able to detect
both the placement and the level of the luciferase enzyme activity. We found SV40 dependent luc to be
restricted to the liver; we confirmed this by surgically partially separating
the liver and measuring the photon emission from that external position. The expression over time of this vector
suggests that it could be used to assess the activity of various
liver-specific regulatory elements that could then be used to control the
genes coding for various therapeutic proteins. This method should be valuable for other tissues and vectors as
well. HIV-LTR dependent luc was
detected in the region of the testis but was not detected in the liver. Key
words: transgenes, gene therapy,
bioluminescence, in vivo gene expression, cell therapy, tumor cells. New protocols and procedures
that focus on cell therapy
New immunotherapy
protocols and procedures that focus on adoptive allogeneic cell therapy,
cytokines, targeted chemotherapy and tumor cell vaccination, are already
being clinically applied for resistant acute and chronic leukemias, Hodgkin’s
and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes and
metastatic solid tumors, as well as adoptive allogeneic cell mediated
immunotherapy for hematological malignancies, utilizing naïve, cytokine- and
tumor-specific or rather tumor-reactive lymphocytes, and cytokine research.
The work being carried out on new cancer cell vaccines constitutes an attempt
to up-regulate and stimulate the patient’s immune system to fight residual
tumor cells using specific and non-specific agents and tumor-specific
antigens as well as allogeneic tumor cell vaccines containing common
antigenic epitopes. In parallel, new
approaches are being developed to down-regulate and control the immune system
towards induction of specific unresponsiveness, with the aim of reducing
self-reactivity in life-threatening autoimmune diseases on the one hand, and
inducing permanent and specific transplantation tolerance to bone marrow,
tissue and organ allografts on the other. Much effort is being devoted to the
control of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Work is also
proceeding on gene therapy with the aim of manipulating abnormal stem cells
and T cells serving as anti-cancer effector cells for the treatment of
certain immune deficiencies and, hopefully, other genetic disorders in the
future. Recent research projects involve stem cell plasticity, focusing on
the regeneration of bone and cartilage for the correction of the
osteo-hematogenic complex, and bone and joint diseases. A recently established chemistry
laboratory is engaged in the design of new molecules for better control of
the immune system and for targeted cancer therapy, with emphasis on small
molecules that can be orally administered. Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC)
Use for Cell Therapy and Tissue Engineering
Mesenchymal stromal
cells derived from the bone marrow (MSC) maintain the bone remodeling and
differentiation of hemopoietic cells. The stroma function is based on cells
that may be differentiated into various subtypes such as fibroblasts,
osteogenic and muscle cells that are derived from a common stem cell. MSC
have a broad use in cell therapy and tissue engineering. At Tel Aviv
University stromal cell research is being conducted in the Faculty of
Medicine by a group headed by Dr. D. Benayahu with the aim of exploring the
question of MSC identity. Before MSC can be used for cell therapy, we first
have to discover how to recognize the specific marrow stromal cells. The goal
in the research is to develop a molecular and biochemical approach that will enable
the isolation and identification of progenitor cells down through their
lineages. A series of known and novel markers cloned in Dr. Benayahu
laboratory allows the identification and selection of stromal subpopulations.
In this research we applied an ex vivo system to expand MSC and to compare
their in vitro and in vivo properties. The novel markers cloned in the
laboratory are useful tools for clarifying the mechanisms that control the
cell differentiation as a matter of transcriptional regulation. The genes
identified are key regulators in the control of stromal stem cell
differentiation. These markers provide an attractive clue for studying how to
modulate MSC in vitro and in vivo and to control their maturation through
specific lineage. The study deepens knowledge on genes and protein structure
and function, enabling us to follow MSC differentiation. Alterations in these
genes will serve as genetic tools for an understanding of bone, skeletal and
cardiac muscle disorders. The project provides important tools for both cell
selection towards their use in cell therapy and the development of treatment
strategies for a wide spectrum of pathological states. Gene Delivery by Sv40
Pseudovirions and Their in Vitro Packaging
We have developed a
vector based on a small DNA virus named SV40, which in nature causes a mild
viral illness in primates. In the vector, over 95% of the viral genetic material
is replaced with curative, normal human genes, resulting in a particle called
a pseudovirus. The SV40 vector is potentially suitable for gene therapy of a
wide spectrum of diseases. This is due to its high efficiency in gene
transfer into a wide variety of human cells, including cells of the bone
marrow which are the critical target of treatment for many diseases. Our
unique SV40 pseudoviral vector has many advantages over other currently
available vectors. It has a very wide host range and high efficiency in gene
transfer. It is most efficient with hematopoietic cells, the target of choice
for the treatment of many diseases. Moreover, it can infect non dividing
cells, such as the human bone marrow stem cell. SV40 pseudovirions prepared
by the recently developed method of in vitro packaging combine the efficiency
of gene delivery of a viral vector with the safety and purity of non viral
vectors. An ideal way to prepare
pseudovirions for therapeutic purposes for human use is by in vitro
packaging. This method provides maximal safety, since all steps of the
preparation can be well controlled. Furthermore, this method is suitable for
biotechnological production. This
technology serves as the basis for the new early stage biotechnology company,
Gene Vector Technologies Ltd. Mucosal immunization for viral infections
Infectious diseases are
a worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. Such diseases particularly affect individuals with weaker
immune systems, such as children, and are probably the primary worldwide
killer of children (The World Health Report 1997, WHO). Travel and other
contact between populations have caused the world to become an increasingly
mixed environment in terms of the spread of micro-organisms, such as bacteria
and viruses, thereby demanding a higher degree of protection for communities
from such infectious agents. In particular, no mass vaccination program exists
for Hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV vaccine is currently generated in tissue
cultures, which produce a low viral titer, and is therefore expensive. The expense and difficulty of production
are such that the HAV vaccine can currently only be purchased for small-scale
programs. New modes for cheap and effective mass vaccination are needed.
Providing a vaccine through a simple method could significantly increase the
number of protected populations. Recently, a number of investigators have
suggested that vaccination against bacterial agents, such as salmonella, or
viral agents, such as HIV, may possibly be enhanced through the rectal
administration of attenuated or killed bacteria. Rectal, nasal or oral
administrations of vaccines have elicited a humoral and in some cases
cellular immune response, although such a response has been variable,
indicating that vaccines against certain infectious agents may not be
successfully administered through one or more of these routes of
administration. For some of these vaccines, however, the humoral response
generated neutralizing antibodies against the pathogen as proven in the case
of the polio oral vaccine developed by Alfred Sabin. Unfortunately, no such
method for administering the HAV vaccine has been successful through a route
of administration other than injection.
Therefore, the HAV vaccine is currently difficult to administer, such
that any mass vaccination program would be expensive and complicated to
perform. There is thus a need for, and it would be useful to have, a method
for administering the HAV vaccine through a route other than direct systemic
injection. The present invention relates to a method of immunizing a subject
against Hepatitis A virus (HAV), and in particular, to such a method in which
a vaccine against HAV is administered through the rectal mucosa of the
subject. We developed a method for administering the HAV vaccine to a subject
by absorption through a mucosal tissue, particularly through the mucosa of
the rectum. The method of the present
invention enables the HAV vaccine to be administered to the subject rectally
as a suppository, and to successfully immunize the subject against HAV. Thus, the present invention overcomes
problems such as systemic administration by injection for example, which require
needles, and which are difficult and expensive to perform. Development of closed-chest
delivery systems for myocardial gene therapy
Development of closed-chest delivery systems for myocardial gene
therapy. We developed a delivery system, based on a balloon catheter,
acetylcholine and echocardiographic contrast, to deliver reporter
gene-encoding adenoviral vectors in a rat model. This study demonstrated that
the system is significantly more efficient than each one of its components
alone. We are currently testing a modification of this system in a large
animal model (sheep) using adeno-associated virus as a vector. Beta-cell replacement in type
1 diabetes: the promise of stem cells
Type 1 diabetes
mellitus is characterized by a progressive loss of pancreatic b cells, leading
to insufficient insulin production. Beta-cell replacement is considered the
optimal treatment for type 1 diabetes; however, the availability of human
organs for transplantation is limited. An effective cell replacement strategy
depends on the development of an abundant supply of b cells and their
protection from immune destruction. Stem/progenitor cells, which can be
expanded in tissue culture and induced to differentiate into multiple cell
types, represent an attractive source of cells for generation of cells with
beta-cell properties: insulin biosynthesis, storage, and regulated secretion
in response to physiological signals. Embryonic stem cells have been shown to
spontaneously differentiate into insulin-producing cells at a low frequency,
and this capacity could be further enhanced by soluble agents. Progenitor
cells from fetal and adult tissues, such as liver, have also been shown to be
capable of differentiation towards the beta-cell phenotype in vivo, or
following expression of dominant transcription factors in vitro. We explored
whether human fetal liver progenitor cells
(FH) could be induced to differentiate into insulin-producing cells
following expression of the pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1) gene. The
replication capacity of FH cells was extended by introduction of the gene for
the catalytic subunit of human telomerase. The Pdx1 gene was introduced into
these cells using a lentivirus vector carrying a neomycin resistance
selection gene. Cells expressing Pdx1 activated multiple b-cell genes,
produced and stored considerable amounts of insulin, and released insulin in
response to physiological concentrations of glucose. The cells restored and
maintained euglycemia for prolonged periods of time in hyperglycemic
immunodeficient mice. Quantitation of human C-peptide in the mouse serum
confirmed that the glycemia was normalized by the transplanted human cells.
We conclude that Pdx1 expression induces differentiation of human fetal liver
cells into cells with b-cell properties. This approach offers novel ways of
generating cells for transplantation into patients with type 1 diabetes. Herpesvirus Amplicon Vectors
for Vaccination
When viruses infect
their host, they trigger an immune response, which recognizes the proteins
making up the viral particle. A
complex series of events follows, with eventual destruction of the virus. If
the virus infects again, an immediate response, produced by “memory cells”
abolishes the virus before it can spread, causing disease. In anti-viral
vaccination, an engineered vaccine composed of weakened virus, or containing
viral protein(s), is placed in the host, mounting a memory immune response
capable of virus destruction upon potential infection. We have derived viral vectors, which
infect lymphocytes for gene therapy and vaccination by introducing selected
proteins into the host without harming it.
The vectors, termed “amplicon-6,” contain multiple repeats of DNA
replication and packaging signals of Human Herpesvirus–6, as well as repeats
of the selected foreign genes, including selected proteins, as well as chosen
chemokines designed to increase immune response. Exemplary transgenes
include: (i) the major cell surface protein of herpes simplex virus (HSV) to
be employed toward vaccination against facial and genital herpes infections;
(ii) the envelope protein of HIV, toward development of an ADIS vaccine;
(iii) the MUC1 protein, which is heavily expressed in human breast carcinoma.
The amplicon-6 vector containing the MAC1 protein is employed to raise
specific anti-tumor immune response.
All these exemplary proteins are expressed most efficiently in the
target cells destined to raise immune response. Further studies will involve
following the vaccination in animal model systems. Gene delivery system involving a new vector for
gene therapy
The technology is based
on the characteristics of viruses as natural carriers of genetic material to
organism cells. By making particular alterations
to the virus it may be made to perform specific desired functions in carrying
genetic material to cells, e.g., to restore damaged cells. Virus capsules are
used as DNA packaging. Today various technologies utilize viruses as carriers
to tissue cells in the body. The proposed technology utilizes the viral
vector SV40 and its preparation in a test tube from controlled composites,
yielding a pseudo-virus for use as a vector for gene therapy. The procedure
that is carried out in the test tube will be more efficient and better
controlled than if it was carried out in a cell culture. At this point there
are no known competitors. The product will be: 1. A platform of original material for development of drugs on
a genetic basis, to pharmaceutical companies that deal with the development
of gene therapy. 2. A ready vector, for specific therapeutic purposes for
hemopoietic cells. 3. For laboratory research. The potential market is
infinite. Some of the diseases suitable for treatment by genetic therapy are:
hereditary diseases, various cancers, viral diseases and diseases of the
blood. Advantages: * Enables controlled protein production and thus an
accurate desired affect on cells. * Revolutionary in its field - brings gene
therapy research to a more advanced level. Novel devices for cell-therapy
Epigenesis is a
biotechnology company, which develops cell-therapy based products. Epigenesis
pipeline include a bio-artificial liver
device (aLIVE), a bio-artificial kidney device (Renal+) and a cell-therapy
approach to induce angiogenesis (angiopump). ** aLIVE - an extra-corporeal
bio-artificial liver device. aLIVE is being developed for the treatment of
acute liver failure (FHF), chronic liver failure (Cirrhosis and Hepatitis)
and replacement of liver transplant. aLIVE is the only device in development that
performs synthetic liver functions such as transcription of mRNAs coding for
albumin and for clotting factors. ** angiopumps -
induction of new blood vessels developed for treatment of Coronary Artery
Disease (CAD), Peripheral Blood Vessel Disease (PVD)
and Diabetic Sores. The angiopumps developed at Epigenesis induce in the body
a whole network of blood vessels. These help restore the blood flow to
tissues, which have become ischemic due to poor circulation. The angiopump
technology has vast implications in the cardiovascular field. The uniqueness
of Epigenesis' cell-therapy approach is the secretion of whole repertoire of
angiogenic factors by implantable angiopumps. This approach is in strong
contrast to current competitor's approaches, which aim at providing only one
angiogenic factor using gene therapy.
Epigenesis entered into a strategic
partnership with Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in order to co-develop the
aLIVE product all the way to market. Epigenesis plans to launch the aLIVE
human pilot trial by middle of 2002. Multi-fold expansion of
hemopoietic stem cells with minimaldifferentiation
GAMIDA CELL is a
Biotech company developing bio-pharmaceutical products, based on its
proprietary stem cell expansion technology. GAMIDA
CELL's proprietary technology enables multi-fold expansion of hemopoietic
stem cells with minimal differentiation. GAMIDA CELL's first line of products
addresses bone marrow transplant indications. The products will replace the current sources of bone
marrow, with effective cord blood based transplant. GAMIDA CELL's technology
also enables the company to develop a biopharmaceutical business model, and
provide to transplanters readily available, cost effective "cell
drug" products. GAMIDA CELL
has finalized the pre-clinical development of StemEx, the company's first
product for treatment of myeloablative
conditions. GAMIDA CELL is starting its clinical program this year in
leading transplantation centers in the US. Based on its
proprietary technology, GAMIDA CELL is also pursuing a wide international
program of cooperative work with other biopharmaceutical
companies, cord blood banks and academic institutions. New gene transfection agent
for gene therapy
POLYGENE LTD. is a dynamic
biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of innovative
polymer-based drug therapies. POLYGENE's proprietary biodegradable polymeric
systems for targeted gene, peptide and drug delivery are addressing the
complex challenges of improving the safety and efficacy of drug therapy.
POLYGENE, founded in 2000, is applying the tools of biopolymer chemistry to
the development of sophisticated proprietary drug delivery systems for small
drug molecules, peptides and proteins, and therapeutic DNA genes. POLYGENE is
currently developing three products: 1. PolyFectin- gene transfection agent
for gene therapy, 2. Solid-tumor Biodegradable Polymer implant. and 3.
Stereocomplexes for peptide and protein delivery. PolyFectin is a water
soluble biodegradable cationic polymer effective in transfecting therapeutic
genes into cells. The solid tumor implant is a
solid polymeric implant made of a proprietary biodegradable polymer matrix
loaded with an anticancer drug for the treatment of solid
tumors. These technologies are protected by five international patent
applications (one issued in the US). POLYGENE's mission is
to become a leading company in the field of invasive controlled drug and gene
delivery technologies and products. Multi-Gene Vascular Systems
M.G.V. SYSTEMS LTD. -
Multi-Gene Vascular Systems, develops innovative autologous somatic cell
therapy products to address a number of vascular-related disorders in a
variety of disease areas. The Company's patent-pending therapies utilize
multiple genes in conjunction
with the patient's own (autologous) endothelial and smooth muscle cells. MGVS
currently has three products at various stages in its pipeline, all based on
the same technology platform: 1) multi-gene and multi-cell angiogenesis
therapy for patients with arterial obstructive diseases; 2) multi-gene
therapy to create bio-engineered grafts for use in peripheral vascular
disease and end-stage renal disease (dialysis access site) and additional
cardiovascular disorders; and 3) multi-gene and multi-cell angiogenesis and
liver regeneration therapy for patients with liver cirrhosis, in conjunction
with Cytonet GmbH& Co., a leading German cell therapy company. In
addition to its cooperative efforts with Cytonet, the Company has also
entered into several licensing agreements for specific genes and viral
vectors. The Company's technology is already in advanced pre-clinical studies
for both its angiogenesis therapies and bio-engineered grafts, both of which
have shown highly promising results. MGVS will hold a pre-IND meeting with
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2002, with the aim of beginning
Phase I clinical trials for its bio-engineered graft during Q2 2003. The
Company plans to commence Phase I clinical trials for its angiogenesis
therapies by year-end 2003. Development of oncolytic
viruses intended for cancer therapy
OVCure (Israel) Ltd. is
a biotech start-up company focused on the development of viruses intended to
cure cancer. OVCure’s first oncolytic virus product, OVC01 (formerly NDV
HUJ), is in a Phase I/II clinical trial in patients with recurrent
glioblastoma brain cancer. Oncolytic virotherapy is a rapidly emerging
therapeutic area with the potential to complement chemotherapy and
radiotherapy. OVC01 is a non-engineered, selectively replicative, strain of
avian paramyxovirus type-1, an attenuated form of the virus that causes
Newcastle Disease in poultry, but does not seriously affect humans. It is one
of the few oncolytic viruses that can be administered intravenously. The
virus is expected to be active against a wide range of cancers. NDV HUJ was
first isolated by Prof. Zichria Zakay-Rones in the Virology Department of the
Hebrew University Jerusalem. OVCure's development program has been greatly
enhanced by its close proximity the Goldyne Savad Institute for Gene Therapy
at Hadassah University Hospital and
its Phase I/II Outpatient Clinic and its National Facility for Clinical Grade
Vector Production. As OVCure expands its development program it is interested
in further outsourcing of pre-clinical testing, cGMP production of live virus
vaccine, viral characterization and safety testing. Unique vectors for gene
therapy constructed in the test tube from purified components of a
pseudo-virus
GENE VECTOR TECHNOLOGY
LTD. (GVT) has developed gene delivery system involving a new vector for gene
therapy. The technology is based on the characteristics of viruses as natural
carriers of genetic material to organism cells. By making particular alterations to the
virus it may be made to perform specific desired functions in carrying
genetic material to cells, e.g., to restore damaged cells. Virus capsules are
used as DNA packaging. Today various technologies utilize viruses as carriers
to tissue cells in the body. The
proposed technology utilizes the viral vector SV40 and its preparation in a
test tube from controlled composites, yielding a
pseudo-virus for use as a vector for gene therapy. The procedure that is
carried out in the test tube will be more efficient and
better controlled than if it was carried out in a cell culture. GVT's unique
vector combines the efficiency of a viral vector with the safety of a
non-viral vector. Novel therapy for atrial
fibrillation based on Gene Therapy
GeneGrafts is a new biotechnology
company, developing a novel therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial
fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting 2 million
Americans. Conventional therapy for AF is based on medications taken daily, with significant side
effects. GeneGrafts is developing a transkaryotic approach using autologous
(extracted from the patient) genetically modified cells that are delivered to
the patient's heart by catheterization. The treatment is localized and
involves a single procedure. Cell therapies and other treatment strategies for neurological,
ophthalmologic and immune-related disorders
PRONEURON BIOTECHNOLOGY
LTD. is the first company to harness the power of the body's own immune
system for the treatment of debilitating central nervous system (CNS)
disorders. The Company was founded in 1996 based upon the groundbreaking
research of Professor Michal Schwartz, who demonstrated the role of immune
response in normal and pathological conditions in the CNS. Proneuron is
establishing itself as a fully integrated company that will independently
develop and commercialize therapies for niche CNS disorders. Proneuron is
currently focusing its expertise in cell therapy and neuroimmunology on the
development and commercialization of a treatment for spinal cord injuries
(SCI) as well as other neurological disorders, which until now were
considered incurable. Proneuron's multithread business approach - a fully
integrated niche CNS company and a source for product licensing for large
pharma/biotech players, creates a wealth of potential revenue sources as well
as a balanced risk profile. By developing the first potential therapy for the
treatment of complete SCI patients that is expected to fundamentally improve
the patients' quality of life and to significantly reduce the direct medical
costs, Proneuron believes that this lucrative value proposition presents an
attractive market opportunity. Proneuron has recently completed an
FDA-approved Phase 1 clinical trial for this treatment, showing promising
results and is now preparing for the next advanced stages of its clinical
development plan. Proneuron has a 17,000 square foot R&D facility in
Rehovot, Israel, in which its R&D activities are conducted. The Company
currently employs 36 professionals, including 15 PhDs, MDs and veterinarians
led by an experienced management team. Expanding human umbilical cord
blood banks
HADASIT Medical
Research and AGAM ETGARIM GROUP, a medical technology development company
specializing in genetics and oncology, established GENCORD LTD., a company
for the commercialization and expansion of the Cord uses. Cord Blood (CB)
Transplantation is a very new procedure. Its advantage over
"traditional" bone marrow transplantation is that cord blood is extremely rich in the
cells responsible for the formation of blood cells (hematopoietic cells).
These cells develop into all types of blood cells and thus regenerate the
entire bone marrow. GENCORD LTD. specializes in expanding human umbilical
cord blood banks to meet the increasing
worldwide demand for cord blood for transplantation and cord blood products
for use in cell therapy. The use of CB as a source of transplantable stem
cells is increasing rapidly and great effort is invested in establishing banks where CB from volunteer
donors can be stored for transplantation. The company plans to: * Develop and
validate a cord blood bank to become a worldwide leader in supplying cord
blood for matching users. * Establish a private cord blood bank to provide
health insurance for self-donors of cord blood. * Research and develop
therapeutic tools by using cord blood and cord blood products. * Develop the
use of cord blood as the ultimate factor for cell therapy. Development
of gene delivery tools and anti atherosclerotic agents to better address
cancer and cardiovascular diseases
VASCULAR BIOGENICS LTD.
(VBL), a merger of Cardimmune and Medicard, develops innovative solutions
targeting the vascular wall. VBL is active in
the field of Vascular Biology and develops innovative therapies to address
significant current treatment gaps in Cancer and
Cardiovascular diseases. Based on a deep understanding of the biological processes
that occur within the vessels, VBL is well-positioned today, to provide the
causal and disease-modifying medicines of tomorrow. VBL develops technology
platforms that address the cause of the disease rather than its symptoms. The
Company's research and activity are divided in 2 Strategic Business Units
(SBU) gathered around Atherosclerosis and Targeted Gene Therapy. In each SBU,
the Company is currently conducting Pre Clinical studies, and schedules first
clinical trials in 2003-2004. VBL owns a broad pipeline, including
interesting proprietary peptides proven to be active against atherosclerosis;
the Company believes that its pipeline will be leveraged by the time its
first lead will get clinical validation. VBL owns 11 patent applications
(from PCT to National Phase stage) and intends to build a strong and
comprehensive IP portfolio that will allow for multiple exit opportunities.
VBL business vision is based on building a strong patent position, allowing
for multiple exit levels and broad collaborative network. VBL model is to
bring some selected lead candidates to advanced proof of efficacy in human
while developing a strong growing pipeline aimed at earlier strategic
partnerships. Novel tools for research in
molecular biology and medicine
GENE BIO-APPLICATION
LTD., GeBA, develops novel tools for research in molecular biology and
medicine. The company was founded in May 1999 by Yitzhak
Ben-Asouli and Farhat Osman, highly qualified Doctors in Molecular Biology
from Hadassa Medical School, Hebrew
University, Jerusalem. GeBA `s first product: GeBAflex-tube, Gel Extraction
& Dialysis kit, was completed in December 2001. GeBAflex-tube patent
protected unit is able to extract any biologic macromolecule from any gel
matrix and to dialyze small volume samples. This bio lab consumer product is
recognized as a serious challenger to worldwide well-established competitors.
GeBAflex-tube is produced at the GeBA plant as a complete kit for
macromolecule extraction and dialysis process. The product has attracted over
20 distributors from New Zealand to the USA and 2 OEMs of worldwide
reputation. GeBA's second project: Automated Plasmid Constructor (APC) for
high throughput cloning is destined to reduce cloning operations from present typical
duration of several months down to few hours. The "Automated Plasmid
Constructor" can effectively combine several DNA
fragments and ensure their correct orientation. Engineering of vectors will
be straightforward and easy using Orientation Enrichment Reaction (OER), a
breakthrough automated technology in constructing plasmid for high throughput
cloning. OER is GeBA
patent pending reaction. In addition, a major benefit of this novel reaction
is the ability to manipulate DNA sequences, to construct any kind of mutation
(point mutation, deletions, insertions and others) as needed, in one single
step within a very short
time. The whole process is completed by the APC using the OER. The user
provides only primers and the DNA template. The first
prototype is able to construct four different genetic constructs in just five
hours. The APC contains disposable parts to eliminate any cross-contamination
(DNA templates, PCR products or PCR primers) during the process. Moreover,
the APC serves as a "mini-laboratory" performing several
independent processes, such as PCR, DNA fragment extraction from gels, gel
analysis of the size and quantity of DNA or RNA fragments, and image
processing. It is also possible to carry out two or more of these processes
jointly and automatically. The APC harbors a partly disposable detection and
fragment extraction (DFE) unit (GeBA developed), which provides the biologic
processing capacity, OER, to be fully automated; the aim of the unit is to
detect and extract the precisely wanted DNA fragment from the separating
matrix. The DFE unit consists of hardware and software that control the
operating of the DFE unit; analyzing the gel images, detecting and extracting
the desirable DNA fragment from the gel. The software (GeBA developed) runs
under Windows. The need for such a robot is very important. In research, the
bottleneck of almost any molecular or cell biology research is the
construction of new vectors. In the future, gene therapy will be a major tool
used in the medical community. The biotechnology industry (medicine and
agriculture) will use more and more genetically engineered organisms to
produce new lines of products. The GeBA-APC is a fully functional operating
system and provides cloning services to
GeBA customers in the world. GeBA is now looking for ONE major strategic
partner who will invest capital for unit design and industrialization and
worldwide support of qualified engineers network. Laboratory kit for measuring genetic expression
The kit determines the extent
of expression of families of genes (on the level of mRNA). The testing kit is
integrated with a statistical program (in
addition, according to customer request) that allows for unique analysis of
the genetic components of a cell and their comparison
to other cells. The whole kit represents a particular family of genes, and
contains test tubes, each of which has a combination of a pair of primaries
suitable for particular areas reserved by the family of genes. The quantity
of primaries in the kit enables repetition of the tests in 40 different
conditions. The research program is written in VISUAL BASIC, DBASE and is
supported by WINDOWS 95. The developed kits are principally suited for
scientific use, in clinical and scientific research in fields such as
molecular biology, genetic engineering and drug development - gene therapy.
Every scientist interested in the determination of genotype of cells, whether
`engineer' or an examiner of various materials on the genes, may utilize
these kits. These kits supply differential information, and are easy to use.
They do not require additional equipment, apart from the PCR item. The
suitable market consists of agricultural researchers, researchers in clinical
laboratories, various diagnostic laboratories including quality
testing and toxicology, and thus pharmaceutical companies involved in
development. The novelty lies in the focus of the work, on the framework of
particular gene families and the use of primaries from reserved areas of such
genes to determine the level of expression of the genes. In a few reactions
it is possible to cover a pattern of expression of a whole family of genes,
to receive a realistic picture relating to all genes pertaining to the family
that is expressed in the tissue, and thus work on organisms whose genotype is
not determined. In the News
What is Gene Therapy?
Humans have some
35,000-40,000 genes each. A defect in virtually any one can lead to disease.
Human gene therapy involves inserting a repaired gene into the DNA of a
patient to replace a missing or defective gene. Currently there are more than
20 gene therapy research groups at Hadassah, more than any other medical
center in the region. Day by day, experiment by experiment at Hadassah, we
get closer to a time when doctors can anticipate and treat the root cause of
illness, rather than merely struggle to keep up with its symptoms. Hadassah's
institute is a comprehensive center -- where research laboratories, a goods
manufacturing facility, and a clinical center for adult and pediatric
patients are all under one roof in the Children's Pavilion at Hadassah
Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem. Since patients beds are side-by-side
with labs, we can actually tailor the best program suited to their needs. In
the coming decade, it is foreseen that molecular therapy in general and gene
therapy in particular will be used to treat patients on an individual basis. Hadassah
has chosen to take the lead in Israel's thrust into this new arena of
medicine. Israel In the Gene Era
by Wendy Elliman It has been 40 years
since research into gene therapy began, and nine since the first repaired
human genes were transferred into the first human patients. In that time,
over 2,000 people have received gene therapy, 30 gene therapy companies have
been established worldwide, and more than 200 gene therapy protocols, or
treatments, havereceived FDA approval. But these figures can mislead. While
many who have received gene therapy have been significantly helped, none has
been permanently cured. A worldwide biomedical effort is now underway to make
gene therapy viable, and Israel, with its treasure-house of ethnic groups, is
an important player. - There's no doubt gene
therapy will work.- says Dr. Michal Roll, Research and Development director at the Hadassah-Hebrew University
Medical Center in Jerusalem. -The ideas are there. As we unravel more of the
basic biology, we'll learn to construct healthy genes, get them to the right
place, keep them there, get them working and, if necessary, shut them off.
Early optimism that this would be simple, however, has long since faded.
Finding genes and their faults has been likened by Dr. Francis Collins of the
NIH to -searching for a burned-out light bulb in a house somewhere between
the East and West coasts of North America, without knowing the state; much
less the town or street the house is on. - And that's only the
first hurdle. Nature throws up highly effective biological blocks to the
critical second stage: getting healthy gene snippets to a precise target cell
or organ, where they must work in the right way. Scaling these hurdles is a
worldwide endeavor, spurred by the Human Genome Project, the monumental
$3-billion 15-year effort launched by the US in 1989 to find, identify and
decipher the structure of each of our tens of thousands of genes. It's an
endeavor in which Israeli researchers are making a special contribution.
-Israel's population constitutes a rich human laboratory for molecular
geneticists, because it's far easier to trace genetic anomalies in inbred
groups with homogenous pedigrees, such as Yemenite and Moroccan Jews, Druse
and Arabs, - says Prof. Nadine Cohen-Elbaz, head of the Tamkin Molecular
Human Genetics Research Facility at the Technion Institute of Technology in
Haifa. One current Technion project is a joint venture with GENSET in Paris,
analyzing human genes to find links with common diseases, aiming to develop
drugs to cure them. Another is a study of genetic anomalies among Israel's
Arab population, where first-cousin marriages are common and genetic diseases
found in 40 percent of them. Even when a gene is identified, however, its
defects are hard to find. A complex gene, like that responsible for cystic
fibrosis, can go wrong in hundreds of different places (almost 400 so far,
and still counting). In Israel's rich and varied gene-pool, researchers are
tracking down faulty genes and seeing why they go wrong. Prof. Orly Reiner at
the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, for example, has cloned and
identified a gene responsible for lissencephaly, a severe mental retardation
that occurs in one of every 30,000 live births. She is now examining the role
played by this LIS1 gene and its biochemical pathways in the developing
brain. Not all mutations,
however, carry the same risk. Cohen-Elbaz is leading a multidisciplinary
study of degrees of risk associated with different misprints in the familial
breast cancer gene. Targeting high-risk Israeli Ashkenazi women (among whom
breast cancer is 50 percent more common than in Israeli Arab women)
Cohen-Elbaz is working with oncologists, clinical geneticists, psychologists
and epidemiologists, reviewing family medical histories, diet and lifestyle,
aiming to build an effective prevention program. Where prevention fails,
the aim is cure, and a key to gene therapy cure is getting the repaired gene
to the right place. -Genes can't be injected,- says Prof. Ariella Oppenheim
of Hadassah's hematology department. -They need special delivery vehicles. One of the more
promising such vehicles is the virus (an organism that's spent millennia
refining itself to do exactly what gene therapists want: insert itself into
cells. To become gene therapy's delivery boys, however, viruses must be
stripped of their harmful qualities. Oppenheim is working with a virus from
monkey kidney cells (SV40), which has a special affinity with bone marrow.
She's hoping to make it a harmless envelope for healthy genes to repair
defects resulting in crippling blood disorders, such as sickle-cell anemia
and thalassemia.The parvovirus family is the focus of Prof. Ernest Winocour
of the Weizmann Institute and Dr. Joe Corsini and Prof. Jacov Tal of the
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Joyce
and Irving Goldman Medical School. -Parvoviruses are animal viruses
that force their way into a cell's chromosomes in specific places,- says
Wincour. -Knowing where the gene-package goes will give physicians far
greater control. We've uncovered the mechanism parvovirus MVM uses to zero on
its target -- an exchange of signals with the chromosome -- and managed to replicate those signals. The delivery vehicles
aren't yet ready, but scientists are working on what they'll carry. Dr. Riad
Agbaria of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is developing a cancer
protocol in collaboration with the NIH. The aim is to insert a gene that
produces enzymes that combine with a non-toxic drug, to make it lethal to
tumor cells. It's only a matter of time, it seems, before gene therapy fully
arrives. When it comes, Israel will be ready with a $10 million National
Center for Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, opened at Hadassah in November.
In a nation with no NIH, Hadassah has created this core facility where ideas
can be generated, evaluated and tested in the laboratory, then progress
through animal studies into an FDA-level Good Manufacturing Practice lab,
where gene-based medications are tailored to the needs of individual patients
in a clinical center for adult and pediatric patients -- all under one roof.
Clinical practice is not, however, the final chapter, says Center head, Prof.
Eithan Galun. -New medications must flow on to further research and
development. We must monitor every step. If the protocol works, we must know
why. If it doesn't, why not. It's a different kind of medicine from knowing
aspirin reduces pain and fever without needing to know why. As this revolution in biomedicine
picks up steam, Israel's contribution will help open new doors to easy and
effective ways of preventing disease, to fast and accurate methods of
diagnosis, to simple and successful treatments, and to permanent cures for
the currently incurable. Wendy Elliman is a
freelance writer living in Jerusalem. The Goldyne Savad
Institute of Gene Therapy Hadassah University
Hospital, Kiryat Hadassah POBox 12000, il-91120
Jerusalem, Israel Tel. 972-2-6778589 Fax. 972-2-6437712 Intel Israel heralds chip
breakthrough
A team of Israeli
researchers at Intel has achieved a breakthrough in chip development that
promises to change the world of computing and telecommunications within 5 to
10 years. For the first time, the
team succeeded in developing electro-optical chipsets based on silicon wafers
capable of converting electronic signals to optic signals within the chip.
They have the potential to be mass produced at the same cost as standard
electronic chips. Currently, the manufacturing cost of an optical chip (which
is not silicon based) runs into hundreds or even thousands of dollars. According to Intel's
assessment, the electro-optic chips developed during the past year and a half
at the company's Jerusalem facility will replace the standard electronic
chips used for communications between computer components, allowing this
communication to be conducted at the speed of light - 10 times the current
speed. "Today, the fast
processors operate at speeds of three gigahertz, but their surroundings still
work at speeds of hundreds of megahertz and, therefore, don't succeed in
exploiting their speeds," explained Amir Elstein, the co-CEO of Intel
Israel and director of Intel's Jerusalem facility. "When the chips, the
processor and the ports of the computer speak at the same speed, which will
be about 10 gigahertz, the computer's capability will be totally
different," he added. The new development
will also change the multi-leg appearance of today's chipsets. "There
will still be several legs on each chip, but most of the information will be
transfered via a single optic opening of one optic port," Elstein said. An Intel press release
explained how the new technology works: "Researchers split a beam of
light into two separate beams as it passed through silicon, and then used a
novel transistor-like device to hit one beam with an electric charge,
inducing a `phase shift.' When the two beams of light are recombined, the
phase shift induced between the two arms makes the light exiting the chip go
on and off at over one gigahertz (one billion bits of data per second), 50
times faster than previously produced on silicon. This on and off pattern of
light can be translated into the 1's and 0's needed to transmit data." Patrick Gelsinger,
senior vice president and chief technology officer at Intel, called this
"a significant step toward building optical devices that move data
around inside a computer at the speed of light. It is the kind of
breakthrough that ripples across an industry over time, enabling other new
devices and applications. It could help make the Internet run faster, build
much faster high-performance computers and enable high bandwidth applications
like ultra-high-definition displays or vision recognition systems." Elstein said last week
that the company has not yet completed planning the production of the new
optical devices, but that Intel's Kiryat Gat plant may be involved.
"This is the greatest R&D success. There is no need to build new
factories - faster chips can be manufactured at lower cost, with the same production
infrastructure used in existing facilities. We took a theoretical physical
affect and, using existing infrastructure, moved it up to a level that was
previously impossible to implement," Elstein added. By Oded Hermoni U.S. and Israeli nanotech
researchers set sights on clean water
Israel's nanotechnology
program got a significant boost recently, with the first meeting of
stakeholders in the Nanotechnology Clean Water Initiative, ISRAEL21C
reported. The Initiative - the result of combined efforts by Dr. Uri Sagman,
Prof. Samuel Pohoryles and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres - has, for the
first time, brought together major Israeli university researchers and global
industry principals to work on nanotech-based solutions to the water shortage
in the Middle East. The one-day forum took
place at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, and included researchers from
Weizmann, the Technion, Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University and the
Hebrew University, executives from Luna Innovations of Virginia, from the
Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance and European consulting firm Cientifica, as
well as from the Andreas Agricultural Development Trust, an arm of the Peres
Center for Peace. It is hoped that the
Water Initiative will result in practical new knowledge that can reduce the
cost of water desalination and purification. To begin, the current
participants have focused on research projects that can improve existing
processes (for example, conventional reverse osmosis), but also intend to
strike out in search of new processes. IsraelLine http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0of50 Advertorials
Sigma-Aldrich Corp. conducts
research and development
The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Sigma-Aldrich Corp. conducts research and development, manufacture and
distribution of a broad range of biochemical, organic and inorganic chemicals,
immunochemicals, tissue culture and molecular biology reagents, diagnostic
reagents and related products. In addition, the company distributes
laboratory equipment and supplies for centrifugation, chromatography,
electrophoresis, filtration and distillation as well as computer products and
scientific books. The Jerusalem facility (formerly Makor
Chemicals) develops and manufactures fermentation products such as
antibiotics, microbial toxins, lipo-polysaccharides, nucleic acids and
polynucleotides; synthetic organic compounds such as purines, pyrimidines,
sugars and derivatives, steroids, neuroactive compounds and plant growth
stimulators; proteins and enzymes extracted from microbial, plant and animal
sources, lectins and conjugates, glycoproteins involved in cell adhesion,
growth and differentiation factors, signal transduction reagents and
transcription factors for molecular biology research; lipids and their
conjugates totaling more than 1,700 products. SIGMA-ALDRICH ISRAEL LTD. Mr. Moshe Rashi General Manager 3 Menahem Plaut St., Park Rabin Rehovot ISRAEL, 76326 Telephone: 08-9484222; 02-5893666 Fax: 08-9484200 Email: mrashi@sigma.co.il WEB site: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com Health-Invest:
The New Dutch magazine for Life Sciences
Health-Invest is a new
magazine with popular scientific articles about the newest developments in
Life Sciences in The Netherlands: health, new medicine and food. The magazine
also includes fashion, carrier and financial business. Health-Invest wil
highlight various subjects through combining Life Sciences and Life Style.
Attention wil go to stormy
developments in the medical sciences, for innovative medical research and
company profiles, as wel as developments in the general health and prosperity
of society. Health-Invest is a Dutch language, internationaal orientated
magazine about health and prosperity made for a large audience: from starters
in Life Sciences, to those interested in health-care, the food sector,
students, and especcially investors and eveyone interested in his own health.
The next issue of Health-Invest will come out in January 2004 and wil focus
on: Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is
today seen as the most important industrial revolution of the 21st century.
In the next 25 years an enormous market will develop for products made with
the help of this technique. Besides the information technology the medical
profession wil also profit from nanotechnology. Our body is made up of cells
and a technology that works on that level is much beter suited for treating
sick cells than the treatments now available. The Netherlands has in this
area a very good starting position in order to become an important partner in this enormous nanotechnology
market. Health-Invest will focus
further on this issue. For more information
contact: www.health-invest.nl E-mail:
info@health-invest.nl Announcements
EOI's for the Sixth Framework
Tel
Aviv university has published the EOI's for the Sixth Framework on the web,
and invites interested partners from the Publish
your projects in the Life Sciences
Project Bulletin
If you have projects in the fields of Nano
Bio, Gene Discovery, The Life Sciences Project Bulletin is a comprehensive survey of
Life Sciences Projects with new and innovative technologies from various
fields. The Bulletin allows its readers to save time and money in the
selection procedure for finding new projects. It gives them projects in an
organized fashion and provides them with direct access to the projects. Previous
Bulletins
To see the
previous bulletins click on Projects at our web site http://www.optin.nl/ : Projects in the fields
of nanotechnology, drug discovery, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, tissue
engineering, functional foods, protein design, drug delivery, vaccine design,
cancer therapy, neurological disorders, medical diagnostics, molecular
imaging, fermentation and many more. For more information about Life Sciences
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