Hospital staff at Ziv Medical Center in Safed have begun to offer a new Israeli coronavirus medicine to all patients hospitalized in moderate to serious condition with COVID-19.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The medication had previously been administered at the hospital as part of a controlled study.
Ziv Medical Center's Helsinki Committee authorized the cessation of the study of the drug, known as AMOR-18, after it was shown to have clear and positive results in participating patients.
The medication continues to be administered as part of clinical trials at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak, Shamir Medical Center in Beer Yaakov, and Sourasky Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. An additional study is planned for Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
Thirty-seven patients in moderate to serious condition were enlisted for the study, 18 of whom were treated with AMOR-18. All those who received the Israeli medicine recovered from COVID-19 and were released from the hospital in a matter of days. Six of the remaining 19 patients who were given a placebo were transferred to intensive-care units for treatment. Two of those six patients died.
Manufactured by biotech company Amorphical, AMOR-18 decreases inflammation in coronavirus patients.
The drug is based on a combination of amorphous mineral nanoparticles and carbonate. Upon breakdown, the substance causes the acidic environment to regulate the intercellular fluid in the patient's body, in particular in the lungs. The developers of the drug believe this is how it succeeds in preventing the virus from reproducing and penetrating the cells.
Another advantage of AMOR-18 is that it can be administered in parallel with preventative treatment with Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, which are given to coronavirus patients deemed to be at risk upon diagnosis.
"We are pleased the doctors at Ziv Medical Center were the first to recognize the potential of the drug to save lives. We hope additional hospitals will join the process and allow patients hospitalized with coronavirus to receive the medicine," Amorphical said in a statement.
Ahead of the Purim holiday, the Health Ministry published new data on the state of the pandemic in Israel.
Of the 89,547 people who tested for the virus Monday, 6,521 were found to have the disease for an infection rate of 9.65%. The reproduction rate is 0.88, a 0.02 increase over the previous day.
There are 340 Israelis in serious condition with the virus, 148 of whom are on ventilators and 23 of whom are hooked up to ECMO machines.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
