Israel is often on the cutting edge of research and technology, so perhaps it is not surprising to hear that an Israeli company is developing a cure for cancer. Rehovot-based Biokine Therapeutics Ltd. seeks to do just that, with a “unique pipeline for the development of therapeutics targeting cancer and inflammation.”
The company was founded in 2000 by Professor Amnon Peled, a leading cancer and stem cell biologist at Hadassah University Hospital. Today, he serves as the company’s CEO. The company employs four full-time scientists, three part-time technicians, and five part-time consultants.
Biokine focuses its research on “identifying novel molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate tumor development and metastasis”, according to its website. With 14 years of clinical R&D under its belt, the company has developed a suite of unique approaches to fighting cancer. It has discovered and developed several molecules, and is conducting preclinical and clinical trials on them in-house.
The company’s leading product, BKT140/BL8040, is currently in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and stem cell mobilization. The compound is licensed to BiolineRx for development and marketing.
BKT140/BL8040 targets a specific receptor, CXCR4, which is overexpressed in 70 percent of cancers and which is linked to the severity of the disease. The molecule is meant to inhibit the progression and spread of the cancer, both of which are dependent on CXCR4.
Professor Peled is a respected scientist, having published over 80 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals, like Blood, JCI and Science.
The Joseph Advisors are a group of financial advisors seeking to connect global investors with Israeli companies, using Biblical values as a guideline for making recommendations. For the Biblically conscious, nothing can be more obvious than investing in a biomed company. In Exodus 21:19 we are told to “cause [the injured] to be thoroughly healed”, and Deuteronomy (4:15) exhorts us to “Take…therefore good heed unto” ourselves.
According to Rafi Cohen of the Joseph Advisors, Biokine represents an exciting investment opportunity.
“The company has a pipeline of disruptive technologies, specifically in the leukemia research space, which is a particularly strategic space when it comes to cancer research and therapy,” he told Breaking Israel News. In addition, “The company has created a strategic partnership with the team at a well-funded public company [BiolineRx] for the advancement of its flagship solution, which is a very exciting aspect of this opportunity. The company is headed by an expert scientific team that continues to develop and further its research efforts in order to perfect its current arsenal and create additional breakthrough technologies in the fight against cancer.”
BiolineRx was recently reissued a “buy” rating by several investment firms. Analysts at American investment banking firm Maxim Group wrote, “We recently visited Israel and met with more than 40 companies from stem cell treatments to innovative specialty startups and established diagnostics firms; we returned from our visit impressed and inspired.” They listed BiolineRx as one of six highly recommended companies for investment, Globes reported last week.
“The Israeli government is involved in a variety of efforts to encourage global companies to expand their direct involvement in research & development or production facilities in Israel,” they added.
