Government offers assistance to tech developers fighting coronavirus

"We must rally the technology and manufacturing capabilities of the Israeli industry to support the national effort and maintain public health."

By EYTAN HALON
An employee of German biopharmaceutical company CureVac, demonstrates research workflow on a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease at a laboratory in Tuebingen, Germany (photo credit: REUTERS/ANDREAS GEBERT)
An employee of German biopharmaceutical company CureVac, demonstrates research workflow on a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease at a laboratory in Tuebingen, Germany
(photo credit: REUTERS/ANDREAS GEBERT)
The government has promised financial support worth NIS 50 million to Israeli start-ups advancing solutions to combat the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, offering to fund the majority of development expenses for companies with “breakthrough technologies.”
In a joint call for proposals, the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), Health Ministry and the Headquarters for the National Digital Israel Initiative called on companies to submit development plans for systems, products and other technological solutions that can tackle threats posed by the COVID-19 outbreak on a local and global scale.
Sought-after technologies can be relevant to all aspects of coronavirus treatment, the IIA said, ranging from diagnostics to enhancing respiratory treatment, and from infection prevention to improving the welfare of senior citizens in home isolation.
Breakthrough technologies with potential for an “exceptional impact” on healthcare systems or public health will be eligible for support ranging from 60-75% of their expense. Other selected solutions will receive funding valued at between 20-50% of their R&D expenses.
“Today we issue immediate calls for proposals for the hi-tech industry: any company that has a solution, whether it is still in the ideation stage, proof of concept or even a complete product that can be implement in our health services immediately – is invited to reach out to us today,” said IIA CEO Aharon Aharon, who also invited manufacturing facilities that can assist or expedite development to also apply for assistance.
“These days, the need to take immediate measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus is paramount. Therefore, we must rally the technology and manufacturing capabilities of the Israeli industry to support the national effort and maintain public health. Companies that are joining this effort, including many with whom we deal on a regular basis, have the ability to make a difference both immediately and for the future.”
As the world’s governments, leading laboratories and entrepreneurs scramble to find solutions, Israeli companies and scientists are among those striving to bring their technologies to the forefront of the coronavirus battle. Leading developers include Migal, Kamada, the Precision Vaccines Program and Sight Diagnostics.
Migal
Israel’s MIGAL – Galilee Research Institute has stirred up global excitement in recent weeks as it seeks to adapt a vaccine initially developed against avian coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) for use in humans.
Last month, following four years of government-funded multi-disciplinary research, the Kiryat Shmona-based institute hailed a “scientific breakthrough that will lead to the rapid creation of a vaccine against coronavirus,” identified as a by-product of the vaccine against IBV.
Citing high genetic similarity between the poultry coronavirus and the novel coronavirus, the institute said it is working to achieve the necessary approvals to enable human testing of the oral vaccine within eight to 10 weeks, and achieve safety approval within 90 days.
Kamada
Kamada, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Ness Ziona, has started to work on a plasma-derived treatment for severely ill coronavirus patients.
The product, described as a “passive vaccine,” is expected to be produced from hyper-immune plasma derived from donors who recovered from the virus, and is anticipated to include antibodies to the novel coronavirus.
Kamada CEO Amir London told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that there is “no assurance” that the company’s attempts will be successful as they cannot forecast the level of antibodies present in patients who recovered from the virus. Should their efforts produce the desired result, the treatment could provide a “booster” for patients in a severe condition.
The company is currently working with a range of hospitals to collect plasma, including Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.
Precision Vaccines Program (PVP)
Based at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Precision Vaccines Program (PVP) is headed by Israeli-American Dr. Ofer Levy, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Researchers at PVP are working toward the development of a vaccine targeted toward older populations, those at greatest risk of developing COVID-19. According to Levy, elderly individuals have a different immune system to healthy adults and a one-size vaccine accordingly does not fit all.
The PVP said it plans on testing a variety of adjuvants, referring to small molecules added to a vaccine to boost the recipient’s immune response, and adjuvant combinations in human white blood cells sourced from older people.
The researchers’ strategy is to combine the coronavirus spike protein, the part of the virus that the immune system effectively remembers, with adjuvants.
Sight Diagnostics
Founded in 2011, Tel Aviv-based Sight Diagnostics combines artificial intelligence and computer vision to carry out lab-grade complete blood count tests at point of care.
The start-up, which names OurCrowd and Longliv Ventures among its investors, said on Wednesday that its OLO blood analyzer is currently being used to routinely test patients at Sheba Medical Center, and will now be deployed in a special quarantine laboratory to process blood samples of patients being treated in a separate field hospital.
The compact OLO device enables safer testing of contagious blood samples separately from regular lab samples, thereby protecting staff fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re grateful for our team and those at Sheba Tel Hashomer for working diligently to implement our technology when the world needs it most,” said Sight Diagnostics co-founder and CEO Yossi Pollak.
“Tel Hashomer is a key step in our quest to improve health through a transformative blood diagnostic technology. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with Tel Hashomer and other institutions in Israel to provide more access to accurate, fast and pain-free blood testing.”