Israeli Radiation Cure Headed for U.S.

A promising Israeli-made therapy for radiation poisoning appears on track for adoption by the United States, The Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.

The cure, developed by Israeli bio-tech company Pluristem Theraputecs, claims an impressive record in clinical trials—an almost 100% recovery rate for animals exposed to radiation, according to Yaky Yanai, the President and CEO.

The therapy, which would be injected into patients, is said to be suitable for countering the lethal effects of a terrorist dirty bomb or an attack on a nuclear power plant.

The U.S. government is funding the trials and is expected to gain FDA approval, probably by 2017.

Last week, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), began studies in large animals. The trials are part of the Department of Homeland Security Program for combating radiation threats.

The cure is not only effective but relatively easy to implement in affected populations, Yanai said. “You don’t need DNA matches for patients. It can be injected into the muscle very easily, in all humans or animals.”