health & wellness » 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 D regentstreetwestbloomfield.com *HSS\Z[VKH`H[ 4460 Orchard Lake Road >LZ[)SVVTÄLSK40 Ask about our dedicated Memory Care Unit 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.