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Israeli Pharmaceutical Company
Is Working On A Cure For Leukemia
Times of Israel
B
It
on the
the
It may
may be
be beautiful on
outside
what's on
on the
the
outside but
but it's
its what’s
inside
counts
inside
that that
really
counts.
iosight, an Israeli pharmaceutical
development company working
on a cure for leukemia, last week
closed an investment of $13 million, led
by pharmaceutical investment firm Arkin
Holdings and U.S.-based venture firm
Primera Capital.
The money will fund an advanced
phase study of the company’s lead product,
Astarabine, for the treatment of AML —
acute myeloid leukemia, a common form
of the disease.
Astarabine is a special form of a com-
pound called cytarabine that contains an
amino acid harmful to leukemia cells but
not to normal cells. Leukemia cells depend
on an amino acid called aspargine, but
they cannot synthesize it themselves, said
Dr. Ruth Ben Yakar, CEO of BioSight. As a
result, they “steal” it where they can, from
within the bloodstream.
“We set up a molecular structure that
leukemia cells recognize as being associ-
ated with aspargine, which they need,”
Bar Yakar said. “But instead we fill it with
Astarabine, which kills them. Thus, using
» fo o d
this Trojan horse trick, we are able to
destroy the cancerous cells while preserv-
ing the healthy ones.”
It can fool even the “smartest” cancer
cells, she said. “Our interim results in a
major study of patients with leukemia
show that our system yields the maximum
efficiency from chemo, with a minimum of
toxicity. Our method of using chemo does
not cause brain damage or weaken blood
cells” or cause lethargy or loss of hair.
This “Trojan horse” chemo technology
doesn’t only work for leukemia patients,
Ben Yakar said. “We believe it will be effec-
tive in many other kinds of cancer. It’s a
matter of finding the amino acid a specific
cancer is allergic to and packaging it in a
structure the cancer cell thinks contains
material that strengthens it, while, in real-
ity, it contains material that destroys it.”
BioSight is currently completing a Phase
I/IIa clinical trial at Rambam Hospital in
Haifa to evaluate the safety and efficacy of
Astarabine as a therapy for forms of leuke-
mia. The results so far show a good safety
profile with no significant drug-related
side effects, including in elderly patients,
the company said.
*
fin d
Hummus Adds Legumes To Diet
Gail Posner
Special to the Jewish News
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126 May 26 • 2016
o you consume three cups a
week of heart-healthy beans
or legumes (chickpeas, great
northern beans, black beans, split peas,
etc.)? Beans are rich in fiber and protein.
Including hummus in your diet is a great
way to increase your intake.
Brands vary in calories, oils used, flavor,
texture and types of beans.
Sabra brand has a creamy texture and
is one of the highest-calorie spreads: 2
tablespoons contain about 70 calories with
5 grams of fat from tahini (ground sesame
seeds) and soybean oil.
Eat Well brand has between 40-60 calo-
ries (depending on flavor) for the same
serving size and contains olive oil, canola
oil and tahini as a fat source.
Oasis brand has 34 calories with 1 gram
of fat for the same serving size and con-
tains only tahini as a fat source.
Hummus can be made from chickpeas
(garbanzo beans) or a variety of legumes,
such as edamame (roasted soybeans), len-
tils or black beans.
For those who prefer to get their daily
healthy fat from other sources and want to
lower their calorie intake, try Oasis brand
no-fat hummus, made from chickpeas,
black beans or lentils. This low-calorie
choice contains about 24 calories with 0
grams of fat for the same serving. Or make
your own:
HUMMUS
1 16 oz. can of chickpeas
¼ cup liquid from chickpea can
3-5 Tbls. fresh lemon juice (depending
on taste)
1½ Tbls. tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp. salt (optional)
Optional: no oil or up to 2 Tbls. extra
virgin olive oil for a creamy and full
taste.
Garnish: Chopped fresh parsley or
sumac
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid
from can. Combine remaining ingredients
in blender or food processor. Blend for 3-5
minutes on low until thoroughly mixed,
smooth and creamy. Add additional chick-
pea liquid or oil until you get the creamy
texture desired. Cover and refrigerate.
Serve with veggies (cucumber slices,
carrot and celery sticks, etc.) or warm or
toasted pita bread. *
Gail Posner is a registered dietitian. Find her at
www.gailposner.com.