News and Overviews

Promising Companies
Industry overviews
Cleantech
Academy
Health Care System
Entrepreneurship
Exhibitions and Conferences in Israel
Brain Drain and Suggested Solutions

Promising companies in Israel

NovoCure raised funding from J&J and Pfizer, estimated by $10M (Globes - October 2009)
Procognia CEO: investment in medical device is a long tem investment (Bizportal October 2009)
Cheisi will invest $26M in HTL (Calcalist - October 2009) and (Calcalist - October 2009)
Bioline reports a breakthrough in the treatment for schyzophrenia (Bizportal - September 2009)
Enzimotec opens a new plant in the north (Globes - July 2009)
Biosep raised NIS 2.3M(TheMarker – June 2009)
DiPharm receive FDA approval for starting its Phase III trials (Bizportal – June 2009)
Kamada finished second phase trial in bronchiectasis (Bizportal – June 2009)
Metrolight raised additional $3M and replaced the CEO (Globes – June 2009)
Lifebond raised $8 M in the second round (Bizportal – June 2009)
B Brown will start R&D activity in Israeli through the Chief Scientist’s large cooperation project (TheMarker – June 2009)
Solaredge will supply technology to the solar division of BP (Globes – June 2009)
Enzymotec build a plant in Migdal Haemek with $100 M investment (Globes – June 2009)
The chief scientist and the ministry of finance will open a new biotech fund with NIS 250M (TheMarker – June 2009)
Optimata signed a multi-million agreement with Teva (TheMarker – June 2009)
The strong connection between Teva and Protalix and a market of billions (Bizportal – June 2009)
Sensible Medical raised $7M from Genesis Vitalife (Calcalist – June 2009)
Singenta will cooperate with Abogen in improving resistance of soya (Bizportal – June 2009)
After 10 years in the market: Macrocure’s product is on its way to approval (Globes – June 2009)
Mazor reports on successful clinical trial for its simulation product (Globes – June 2009)
Seambiotic negotiating with Agrigold for building a seaweed farm for $10M (Globes – June 2009)
Procognia won a grant from Europe for early diagnostic of prostate cancer (Bizportal – June 2009)
Neurim is nearing an FDA approval: good results in the trial of sleep disorders (Globes – June 2009)
Diagnostic Technologies received a $800K grant (Bizportal – June 2009)
BrainWatch was chosen as the promosing life science enterprise for 2009 (Bizportal – June 2009)
GSK will buy Protea’s vaccine:: Euro 3M may grow to Euro 20M (Globes – June 2009)
Refael Medical Technologies received an FDA approval for selling its SafeFlo product in the US (TheMarker – May 2009)
Mazor’s surgical robots targets the billions $ worth surgical market (Bizportal – May 2009)
Micromedic signed a collaboration agreement with Patho-Lab for developing and commercialization of pathological tests (Bizportal – May 2009)

Industry Overviews

Israel is a global leader in stem cells (TheMarker – June 2009)

Drop of 30%-40% in demand for Biomed employees but experienced CEOs are still missing (

Globes – June 2009)

Return on investment in the Israeli Biomed came in the last decade from 18 exits, your chance to gamble on the next substantial exit (Globes – June 2009)

The promising pharma companies (Calcalist – June 2009)

The promising diagnostics companies (Calcalist – June 2009)

The promising medical devices companies (Calcalist – June 2009)

The promising software companies (Calcalist – June 2009)

Six questions and answers about Israel’s Biomed future (Calcalist – June 2009)

Why do we need biotechnology now? (Globes – June 2009)

The Israeli nanotech - (JPost - March 2009)
Highlights of the Israeli pharmaceuticals and healthcare report 2009 Q1 (TradingMarkets - March 2009)
An overview about the Israeli biotech industry (Genetic and Engineering & Biotechnology News - Feb 2009)
Milken Institute calls for $2 Billion Bond to Promote Israel's life science - A Financial and Policy Medical Innovations Lab, held in Dec. 2007 in Jerusalem, attracted more than 100 top scientists, policy makers, entrepreneurs and business leaders to look at the challenges and opportunities of Israel’s bio-tech sector, building on the strengths of its high-tech human cap (Milken Institute publication - May 2008)

Cleantech

A new system by Applied Cleantech and Qteros will enable production of fuel from sewage (The Marker - October 2009)
Dow Chemicals will distribute BPC products in the US (Calcalist - October 2009)
Sea water – the next energy source (TheMarker – May 2009)
HCL – Nazi technology, 91 years old entrepreneur and the son in the CEO (TheMarker – June 2009)
Two VC make first investment of $5.5 M in HCL (TheMarker – June 2009)

News from /about Israeli academy

"Shirat Hamada" grants for scientists writers in memory of Prof. Ofer Lider, last date for applications June 30 (Weizmann Institute - June 2009)

Brian research center to by build at the Hebrew University with expected additional 15 staff members (Jerusalem Post - May 2009)

Tenure track positions for junior and senior candidates in the departments of Chemistry, Physics, Life Science and Engineering are available at Bar Ilan University, the institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials more.

The Weizmann institute announces a new type of position: Senior Intern. This is an advanced/second post-doc position which is conducted under an existing Weizmann's PI. The position includes social benefits. Details are here.

Malag and the ministry of finance announced the return of 104 scientists to academia here and here (Ynet and Haaretz Feb 2009)

Segel Zutar receives benefits after years of struggle (by Haaretz Dec 2008) http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1046473.html

Malag wants to invest in bringing back the scientific minds from abroad

The November issue of The Scientist magazine has named two Israeli institutions as the best places to work in science (not including the United States). Heading off the Top 10 list (PDF) is the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot followed at #2 by Hebrew University in Jerusalem, returning Israel to the #2 slot among best countries for research. For a bit on how these two research centers made the cut, check out this brief article.

Cover story from ACS from March 2007 about the academic Israeli chemistry here.

Health Care System

Hospital is fountain of youth for retired doctors (Israel 21C - May 2009)
BGU Challenges choice of Hebrew U. for army (Jerusalem Post - May 2009)
An interview with Ya'acov Litzman - the new deputy health minister (Jerusalem Post - May 2009)
Tens of thousands Shekels will be given to physicians who will relocate to Eilat to work at Yoseftal Hospital (Haaretz - May 2009)
Hadassah hospital to start the first military medical school in Israel (JTA - April 2009)
Israeli research finds common antibiotic can repair genetic diseases (Israel 21C - April 2009)
Israeli invention may revolutionize skin cancer diagnosis (Haaretz - April 2009)
Poria Hospital is a model for global democracy (Israel21C - April 2009)
Bikur Holim buyer won't be able to privatize its beds (Jerusalem Post, March 2009)
Cleveland physicians explore cooperative ventures in Israel here (Ynetnews, Israel Feb 2009)
New drugs were approved in the Sal Briut (Haaretz Dec 2008)
Hebrew U, Ben-Gurion compete to create IDF medical school
Jerusalem Post - Israel Dec 2008
... for a Defense Ministry tender to establish an Israel Defense Forces medical education program to relieve the severe shortage of military physicians. ...
Doctors awarded nearly NIS 1b. in wage hikes
Jerusalem Post - Israel
The Israel Medical Association (IMA) welcomed the ruling, saying it would prevent a crisis in the medical profession, but added that there was still a need ...
Israel expects shortage in physicians in the coming years
Haifa hospital head slams army's plan for medical school
Ha'aretz - Tel Aviv,Israel
Another way of boosting the dwindling number of physicians in its service has been to try and persuade Jewish physicians from abroad to move to Israel and ...
An article on how Israeli hospitals recruits senior physicians: http://www.themarker.com/tmc/archive/arcSimplePrint.jhtml?ElementId=skira20080910_1019693&ElementId=skira20080910_1019693
A new medical research center will be build in Rambam. Over the next 5 years the project will enable 35 new academic ranked research positions for MDs and Ph.Ds with state of the art infrastructure and high wages. The Kol Kore is here: http://www.bioabroad.org.il/article.asp?newsid=34
Information about the initiative is here: http://www.bioabroad.org.il/cms/SiteFiles/File/Files%20for%20the%20news/Legacy%20Institute%20(Rambam).doc

Entrepreneurship news

"A dose of optimism" - About BioLine RX (Jerusalem Post - Israel Jan 2009)
How to raise money in the current financial crisis (The Marker - Dec 2008)

Exhibitions and Conferences in Israel

12th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin - May 3-6, Jerusalem
Agritech Israel– May 5-7, Tel Aviv
International Conference on Bioethics Committees in Hospitals - 17-20 May, 2009 Zfat
The 26th Biennial Conference of Israel Surgical Association – June 3-5, KfarBlum & Hagoshrim
12th International Neurotoxicology Association Meeting - June 7-12 2009, Jerusalem
BioMed 2009 June 16-18, Tel Aviv

3rd International Stem Cell Meeting– June 15-17, Tel Aviv
European Symposium on Organic Reactivity (ESOR XII) September 6, 2009, Haifa
6th International Meeting on Intensive Cardiac Care - October 25-27, 2009, Tel Aviv
COMCAS 2009 - The Int'l IEEE Conference on Microwaves, Communications, Antennas & Electronic Systems– November 10-11, Tel Aviv
The 2nd International Water & Environmental Technology Week Tel Aviv Fairgrounds – November 17-19, Tel Aviv

Brain Drain and Suggested Solutions

Peres calls for tax breaks for growth industries
Jerusalem Post - Israel (Dec 2008)
Peres added that the new economic agenda needed to include efforts to bring back Israeli scientists from abroad and in parallel the government must expand ...
The brain drain: Old myths, new realities (Jan 2002)
Reverse the brain drain - Haaretz - Israel News (Dec 2008)
Reverse the brain drain - the global financial crisis as an opportunity for attracting Israelis back to Israel.
Malag wants to invest in bringing back the scientific minds from abroad (Globes Oct 2008)
Help returning Israelis
Jerusalem Post – Israel (Nov 2008)
They comprise what is popularly dubbed the "brain-drain." It's only natural to wish to draw them back. For the past year - since November 2007 - a campaign ...
Melchior: Social gaps undermine education
Jerusalem Post – Israel (Nov 2008)
Part of the ongoing brain drain has to do with [not] having an affiliation with the country." Lautman echoed Kaveh's remarks, saying: "The danger in Israel ...
Analysis: Higher Education: Still broken, despite the fix
Jerusalem Post – Israel (Oct 2008)
... allocated money while dictating how it should be spent - all leading to the often-mourned "brain drain" afflicting Israeli universities in recent years. ...
US schools encouraging Israeli 'brain drain'
By GS Don Morris, Ph.D. (September 2008)
Next week the students will see a record-breaking number of US college scouts at an MBA convention aimed at creating connections between American schools and Israeli scholars. The brain drain, it would seem, has reached a whole new ...
A study on Israel brain drain between 1995-2004 published by Prof. Omer Moav and Eric D. Gould (2007) http://www.bankisrael.gov.il/deptdata/mehkar/iser/09/iser_1.pdf
'Brain-drain threatens to set back hi-tech' (November 2007) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1192380770958&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Seeking better conditions, Israelis sprout like mushrooms in U.S. academe (November 2007) http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/922550.html
Women scientists get grants for post-doc research abroad (November 2007) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1192380743285&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
US universities to attract more Israelis (December 2007) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1196847304410&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
BRAIN DRAIN: High salaries lure Israel's top academics abroad http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/939846.html
Canary in the academic mine, by Prof. Dan Ben David: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/962874.html
Another article by Dan Ben David: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/965312.html from 3/18/2008
Israel is choking its scientists – Hebrew University President Menachem Magidor warned of an Israeli braindrain (October 2005) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3154050,00.html

Nava Zisapel discribes the long way to success for Neurim (The Marker - May 2009)

Israeli invention may revolutionize skin cancer diagnosis (Haaretz - April 2009)

Ben-Haim's fund MedInvest invested $100M in its companies as planned (Globes - April 2009)

Vital View from Misgav Incubator will develop a device for improving fertility treatments (Bizportal - April 2009)

Rosetta sold marketing rights to Prometheus (Globes - April 2009)

Widemed and GE Healthcare will collaborate in diagnosis of sleep apnea (Bizportal - April 2009)

Therapeutic ultrasound by Nanovibronix received approval for marketing in the US (Globes - April 2009)

Protalix received more than $6M from the Israel Chief Scientist (The Marker - March 2009)

Sparklix was including in the eight most promising lab automation companies (Ynet - March 2009)

Regentis Biomaterials raised $7.5M and prepare for clinical studies (NRG March 2009)

Medtronic to turn Ventor into major new Israeli R&D center (Israel 21C Feb 2009)

Teva and Medica invest $10M in Dynamix (Globes, Feb 2009)

Revival of Pharmos last products by a new company headed by Silvia Noiman and Pharmos executives (Globes, Feb 2009)

The ministry of finance enhance its support to biotech start ups and research centers (Globes, Feb 2009) and some ideas on how this support should take shape (Globes, Feb 2009)

About demand for employees in the nanotech industry (Globes Feb 2009)

Enzimotech raised 11 Million $ (Globes Feb 2009)

Canfite finished recruiting patients for "dry eye syndrome" clinical trial (Bizportal - Feb 2009)

Who are the eight promising companies of the Israeli start-up (The Marker - Jan 2009)

FDA approves breakthrough lung imaging system - A revolutionary new Israeli-developed non-invasive lung imaging system is to go on sale in the US after receiving FDA approval recently. Find out more in our video-only story (Israel21C - Jan 2009)

Sitmed, a medical device company, raised $2M (Bizportal - Jan 2009)

Misgav incubator have raised $23M for its portfolio companies in 2008 (Calcalist - Jan 2009)

Good results for Rosetta Genomics blood diagnostics for large intestine cancer (Globes Jan 2009)

Good news for Micromedic - first good results for its cancer diagnostics method (Bizportal Jan 2009)

Globes' ranked the 10 promising biomed companies in Israel (Globes - Jan 2009)

Biocontrol, Karmelsonix and Allium received CE approval for sales in Europe (Globes – Jan 2009)

Chiasma fund raising was reduced to 11 million $ (Globes - Jan 2009)

Four promising cleantech companies (Calcalist - Jan 2009)