COVID-19: Therapy, Vaccine Show Promising Breakthrough in Israel

Israeli scientists are on the verge of developing the first vaccine against COVID-19, while Israeli's COVID-19 Pluristem's placenta-based cell-therapy showed a 100% survival rate.

COVID-19 Experimental treatment shows a survival rate of 100% 

Six critically ill coronavirus patients with high risk for mortality were given Pluristem's placenta-based cell therapy product and survived, according to the data showed by Puristem.

In a report from Jerusalem Post, the patients were treated at three different Israel medical centers for one week under Israel's compassionate use program. The patients were suffering from acute respiratory failure and inflammatory complications due to COVID-19. Four of the patients had a failure of organ systems, including cardiovascular and kidney failure. 

According to Pluristem, all patients survived. Four of the patients showed improvement in respiratory function, and three are about to be weaned from ventilators. Two patients with preexisting medical conditions showed recovery in a respiratory problem. 

The Pluristem's PLX cells are "allogeneic mesenchymal-like cells that have immunomodulatory properties". It prompts the immune system's T cells and M2 macrophages, causing the reversal of dangerous over activation of the immune system. It reduces the fatal symptoms of pneumonia and pneumonitis.

Notable therapeutic effects of pulmonary hypertension, lung fibrosis, acute kidney injury, and gastrointestinal injury were also noted in previous pre-clinical animal studies. 

The company is in the process of applying for the initiation of a multinational clinical trial for the treatment of complications related to COVID-19. With this development, the company will no longer report on its compassionate use trials but the status and progress of the expected clinical trial. 

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biotherapy company. It maximizes "placental cells and unique, proprietary, three-dimensional (3D) technology platform to develop cell therapies" for illnesses such as inflammation, ischemia, muscle injuries, hematological disorders, and exposure to radiation."

COVID-19 vaccine available in 90 days 

The Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL) is at the edge of developing the first vaccines against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine might be ready in three weeks, and available in 90 days should everything go as planned, Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis announced last week.

MIGAL has been developing a vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) to treat a bronchial disease affecting the poultry industry. The vaccine has been proven effective has been in clinical trials carried out by Veterinary Institute. 

The IBV vaccine was developed after four years of research. It was discovered to have high genetic similarity to the human coronavirus. The company has since genetically modified the vaccine to treat COVID-19. The pre-clinical trials revealed that taking the oral vaccine prompts the release of a high level of specific anti-IBV antibodies, Dr. Chen Katz, MIGAL's Biotechnology group leader said.

For now, Katz said they are adjusting the new sequence and are hopeful that they will have the vaccine available in a few weeks. 

MIGAL will go through a regulatory process that includes clinical trial and large scale production. MIGAL CEO Davis Zigdon said that they are doing their best to accelerate development, and the vaccine could "achieve safety approval in 90 days". 

The vaccine will be available in oral form.