The Bio-Tech Israel 2003 week served as an outstanding showcase for
developments in this field. More than a 130 companies participated
and exhibited their products and technologies. Industry, government
and academia leaders, presented an overview of Israeli biotech and
their projection for future achievements.
In the absence of recent statistics, 140 is the generally accepted
figure for the number of companies active in this field. The industry
employs more than 4,000, and its output is in excess of $800 million
a year. The figures however, reflect a distortion in industry ouput
statistics. Teva Pharmaceuticals alone, was responsible in 2002 for
more than $550 million in exports of its Multiple Sclerosis Copaxone
drug.
The number of start-ups in the biotechnology industry is high and
equals the number of companies in countries such as Switzerland,
Sweden, and France.
Were it not a field, where from the laboratory to the market place,
is both a laborious and extremely lengthy process, the industry's
output would be considerably greater. Nevertheless, the relatively
large number of companies that are currently intensively busy in
developing therapeutical pharmaceuticals, diagnostic and other
biotechnology related products ,are to be seen as a barometer for
substantial future growth.
Israel's medical device industry, numbering more than 400 companies,
is taking due notice of the possibilities opening up for combining
medicinals with medical devices. Israel has traditionally been one of
the global leaders in cardiac stents, with names like InStent and NIR
well known. With the debut of Johnson & Johnson Cypher medicated
stent, accompanied by the belief that it will become a multi billion
dollar product, there is impetus for developers to contemplate other
type of "device/pharma" combinations.
Israeli researchers such as Professor Itskovich of Haifa's Rambam
Hospital, speak of the prospects of "biological intervention as
compared with medical intervention".
On August 9, 2001 the American debate on the use of stem cell lines
began as President Bush announced his guidelines for making research
funding available based on the existing 64 stem cell lines. Four of
these are to be found in Israel and are being used by Prof. Itskovich
and his group for scientific research purposes.
Since the isolation of human embryonic stem cells four years ago,
excitement is being generated and prospects are being mentioned for
the use of these cells to produce various types of tissues in our
body. It is no longer a fantasy for the successful growing of
precursors of heart cells from human embryonic stems cells.
It is the first time that human, as opposed to mouse stem cells have
been induced to form proto-heart cells. In addition, human embryonic
stem cells have been made to differentiate into heart cell tissue.
Moreover, the techniques developed could produce other types of human
tissue.
The next step in moving towards clinical applications, such as
injecting these cells into damaged human hearts, is to significantly
increase the number of cells produced.
Improved sensors, as presented by one company, will allow the
minimally invasive surgeon to improve on his technique and results.
While Israel's biotechnology industry is not expected to develop
exponentially yet the diversity of its research and development,
leaves ample room for joint venture agreements with global companies,
who would prefer the development to be done by others. Past history
make the future seem very promising.
One only needs to be reminded that Novartis' anti-Alzheimer's drug
Exelon, with sales in excess of $320 million in 2002 was discovered
by the Israeli researcher Prof. Martha Roisen of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
Equally impressive is the achievement of Prof. Yehezkel Barenholz,
also of the Hebrew University who is responsible for the development
of the liposomal delivery system which is the basis of Doxil, an
improved anti-cancer drug. Johnson & Johnson had sales of $210
million in 2002.