Based on research conducted at the Hadassah University Medical Center, Immuron, an Australian biopharmaceutical company, is developing medications to treat the flu and other conditions and diseases. Prof. Yaron Ilan, Director of Hadassah's Department of Medicine A and Immuron Chief Medical Officer, and his research team – in collaboration with a team from the University of Melbourne in Australia – has showed that common flu can be treated and may be even prevented based on natural antibodies found in colostrum, the milk cows produce immediately after calving.
Australian authorities recently awarded Immuron a patent for the medication on the basis of the positive results of the pre-clinical studies conducted at Hadassah. In light of these findings, Hadassah and Immuron will conduct clinical trials on animals to determine if the colostrum antibodies are equally effective in treating the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu.
Hadasit, Hadassah’s technology transfer company, is the main stockholder in Immuron, which is traded on the Australian stock exchange.
A few months ago, Hadassah researchers presented the positive results of a clinical trial of their medication 124-IMM – also based on natural antibodies found in colostrum – to treat Fatty Liver Disease. It was demonstrated that when taken orally the medication improves the response of the human immune system and that the medication proved to be safe and effective. The results prompted the planning of an advanced clinical trial to test the medication’s efficacy on patients in Israel and the United States.