Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Researchers at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital have discovered that a new cancer drug has been successfully used to treat patients seriously ill with the coronavirus, Kan News reported Friday.

The drug EXO-CD24 is based on a biological protein normally associated with cancer research that is known to calm the body’s immune system, which in the second stage of coronavirus attacks itself and causes severe breathing problems.

The treatment developed by Professor Nadir Arber of the Integrated Cancer Prevention Center at the hospital was tested on 30 patients in moderate and serious condition suffering from the virus with a 95 percent positive result.

Of the 30 patients in the test group, 29 showed a significant improvement within two days of receiving the drug and were released from the hospital three to five days later. Another patient also recovered, but took a few days longer, the hospital reported.

Arber said EXO-CD24 is inexpensive and is given once daily for five days, being introduced to the body using an inhalator so that the protein released in the lungs calms the immune system, which stops attacking itself and eases the respiratory suffering of the patients.

“To this day, despite endless efforts, there is no drug that has been proven effective in treating corona,” the hospital told Kan. “Even if the vaccines perform their function, and even if no new mutations are produced, then in one way or another the corona will remain with us.”

“EXO-CD24 is an innovative, blue-and-white, goal-oriented drug, developed on the basis of many years of research in Prof. Nadir Arber’s laboratory,” the hospital said, adding that the treatment is targeted at patients in serious condition in order to prevent their deterioration.

“The preparation is given locally, works extensively and has no side effects. It is an advanced preparation, which can be produced quickly and efficiently and at a very low cost, produced in any pharmaceutical facility in the country, and in a short time all global consumption can be supplied,” explained Prof. Arber.

The hospital requested Health Ministry permission to extend the trial to more patients, Ynetreported.