Israeli medical breakthrough uses patients’ own cells to target blood cancer

Israeli doctors at the Rabin Medical Center (RMC) in Tel Aviv successfully used patients’ own immune system cells to attack blood cancer cells earlier in November.

Dr. Iuliana Vaxman, head of the Center for Multiple Myeloma and Rare Plasma Cell Disorders at the Davidoff Cancer Center, presented the medical breakthrough which was tested on three patients suffering from myeloma.

“As part of a clinical study, we began administering this treatment, and the early results show a very positive response,” Vaxman said. “This is significant news for these patients. Our goal is to provide comprehensive care within the new center, and the availability of this innovative, locally produced technology at [the] RMC will allow us to achieve that,” she explained. 

The CAR-T technology is considered one of the most significant innovations in the field of cancer care. The lab genetically engineers the patient’s T-cells and equips them with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), artificial T-cell receptors, which enable the cells to identify and neutralize cancer cells. These genetically engineered cells are then reinfused into the patient’s body to attack the cancer cells. 

Prof. Gal Markel, director of the Davidoff Cancer Center, revealed that the hospital department plans to expand the CAR-T treatment to other types of cancer. 

“Soon, we will expand CAR-T development and treatment to include solid tumors, such as liver and lung cancer, and later autoimmune diseases, all produced and administered right here under one roof,” Markel said. 

“In a short time, we have established advanced capabilities for developing and manufacturing original therapies using cutting-edge technologies. Combined with our clinical expertise, this positions Rabin Medical Center as a leader in advanced cancer treatment. This remarkable achievement belongs to the Samueli Institute and the dedicated teams of the Davidoff Hematology Division, who worked in full synergy – from production to patient care,” he explained.

Established in 2023, the Samuel Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute is headed by Avner Paz-Tsuk and follows the strictest international standards for advanced therapy production. While conducted primarily in Israel, the innovative medical treatment project also included international partners. For instance, the retroviral vector, which is responsible for delivering the gene encoding CAR into cells was developed by researchers at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin. 

Despite its small size, Israel has emerged as a global player in advanced medical healthcare and innovative research. 

Earlier this month, the Rabin Medical Center announced that it had performed the world’s first robotic closed abdominal surgery on a pregnant patient. The patient Tsofiya Leibovich (23) successfully gave birth to a baby girl merely weeks after the unconventional surgery. 

Earlier this year, the Sheba Medical Center close to Tel Aviv was ranked as the world’s 8th best hospital on Newsweek’s prominent annual ranking list. The ranking assessed 2445 medical institutions and hospitals in 30 countries worldwide. The top 10 list was dominated by U.S. and North American hospitals. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, ranked first, followed by the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and Canada’s Toronto General–University Health Network.

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