fbpx
 
Home / News, Videos & Publications / News / Medical Research /

Arthritis Treatment Breakthrough

Arthritis Treatment Breakthrough

July 11, 2008

Medical Research, Press Releases

BEER-SHEVA, ISRAEL – March 8, 2007 – Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev made a significant breakthrough in arthritis treatment with the innovative anti-inflammatory drug BL-3030 as the critical next step in long-term treatment for arthritis sufferers.

The research team was lead by Prof. Rachel Levy, a professor of clinical biochemistry and head of the Division of Basic Sciences in the Faculty of Health Sciences of BGU, and also head of the Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva. Levy’s team found that the BL-3030 molecule prevents synthesis of cytosolic phospholipase A2, a protein that plays a significant role in inflammation.

This breakthrough was the result of years of intensive research on host defense mechanisms against infections and inflammation. The current treatment for inflammatory diseases, including steroidal and anti-inflammatory non steroidal drugs, provides limited benefits and is often accompanied by severe side effects, limiting long term use. BL-3030, on the other hand, has been shown to have limited to no side effects on lab mice.

“To see these mice go from having the swollen limbs and immobility that accompanies severe rheumatoid arthritis to running normally after only six days of treatment is truly a sight,” said Levy. “The possibilities of what this could mean for a large portion of the population afflicted with inflammatory diseases, particularly the elderly, are staggering.”

Inflammation is a critical factor in a plethora of diseases that affect the population worldwide. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is a chronic and often debilitating auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks joint tissue, leading to pain, inflammation, deformity and disability that can be permanent. In the United States alone, over 2 million people suffer from RA and the total U.S. market for rheumatoid arthritis therapeutic products forecasted for 2013 is $9.5 billion.


Recently, Israel’s leading drug development company, BioLineRx, signed an agreement with B.G. Negev (BGN) Technologies Ltd., the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University, and Mor Research Applications, Ltd., the technology transfer office of Clalit Health Services. BioLine is investing a reported $9 million into the development and commercialization of the BL-3030 drug, which could mean an effective medication against a wide range of inflammatory diseases.  Testing on humans is expected to begin in about two years.        

ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY

By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.

About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.

We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.

BGU at a glance:  

20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.

 

For all press inquiries, please contact:

James Fattal, J Cubed Communications

516.289.1496

[email protected]