Three researchers of the Faculty of Medicine have been awarded Kaye Award
Prof. Avi DombInstitute for Drug Research (IDR)School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine The Invention: Maze Water Purification System The income to the university: the University and the inventor received shares in Strauss-Water company worth over $1.4M where some of these shares were cashed during 2012. In addition, about $0.5M in research funding was invested over the years. Prof. Raymond Kaempfer, PhDDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyInstitute of Medical Research Israel-CanadaHadassah Medical School. Jerusalem The Invention:Reduction of Inflammatory Disease Symptoms with Short PeptidesThat Inhibit Signaling Through CD28 The Kaempfer Lab at the Hebrew University received up to now biodefense research grants for this project in the order of $13m from US government sources that leave all rights with the institute of the Principal Investigator [US Army Medical Research Material Command (USAMRMC)(2 grants), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)(2 grants)]; just the 20% overhead revenue to the University amounts already to well over $2.5m. NIAID funding continues to this day. In 2003, Yissum R&D Company of the Hebrew University, co-founder with scientific founders Raymond Kaempfer and Gila Arad, created Atox Bio, a startup aimed at commercializing the potential of the immune modulators designed by the Kaempfer Lab. Over the years, Atox Bio grew and received to date investments amounting to about $9m from angel funding (USA) and venture capital (UK), as well as from BIRD and the Israel Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). Atox Bio licensed the technology from Yissum in return to future flat royalties from sales. Currently, Atox Bio is in advanced negotiations to close an additional investment of $10-12m which will allow it to proceed in its clinical development. Atox Bio remains within the portfolio of Integra Holdings of Yissum. Although the market potential for necrotizing fasciitis is relatively small, the molecule now in clinical trials, AB103, is 'the only show in town' for severe necrotizing soft tissue infections, with Orphan Drug status from the FDA in hand. If successful (and that looks promising now, see press release), this may serve as launching pad towards larger potential markets of inflammatory disease such as presented by peritonitis, severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and sepsis on a broader base, clinical applications with high unmet need. Noa KaynanStudent of Prof. Ofer Mandelboim The Invention:Generation of “Super” Fc Antibodyfor Improving Medical Treatments Fifteen anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are marketed (as for 2011). Among the most important are Avastin, Herceptin, Erbitux and Rituxan, each generating sales in excess of $2 billion a year. An even larger number of mAb is being tested in clinical trials.The Fc portion of an antibody substantially impacts the therapeutic activity of most anti-tumor mAbs, as it recruits the immune system to destroy Ab-coated cells. If a superior Fc could be found, one that would most efficiently activate the immune cells against the tumor, then all therapeutic anti-tumor antibodies could be engineered to include this Fc for better treatment. In our invention we designed a new method to identify a “Super Fc”. Additionally, our invention can also stand for itself as a tool for the characterization of any antibody for its potency in activating the immune response.
