Israeli biotech firm Pluri has partnered with Ukraine to supply an innovative placenta-derived cell therapy as an emergency treatment for radiation sickness, aiming to bolster preparedness in the event of a nuclear attack or accident.
Ukraine has signed a groundbreaking agreement with Israeli biotech firm Pluri to stockpile and potentially deploy its placenta-based cell therapy, PLX-R18, as a treatment for life-threatening radiation sickness, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The partnership with Ukrainian cord blood bank Hemafund will enable the country to store and distribute 12,000 doses of the therapy, sufficient to treat 6,000 individuals in the event of a nuclear incident. The treatment, which harnesses expanded stem cells from donated placentas, is designed to regenerate blood cells destroyed by acute radiation exposure.
Hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS), a fatal condition caused by high levels of ionizing radiation, can lead to severe anemia, infections, and internal bleeding. Without intervention, it is often fatal within weeks.
Pluri’s proprietary 3D cell expansion technology enables stem cells from a single placenta to be multiplied into billions, capable of treating over 20,000 patients. Once injected, the therapy stimulates the body’s regeneration of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
“Our goal is to stand ready to distribute this potential therapy in the event of an emergency,” said Hemafund founder Yaroslav Issakov. “While we hope such treatments remain precautionary, Ukraine must be prepared.”
The cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable results in animal trials, increasing survival rates from 29% to 97% when administered after radiation exposure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already granted PLX-R18 Orphan Drug Designation and cleared it for investigational use.
Pending funding and regulatory approvals from Ukraine’s health ministry, the treatment could become a cornerstone of the country’s emergency preparedness plan. The agreement is expected to generate more than $100 million in value and may lead to expanded clinical trials to formally register the therapy in Ukraine.
Volkswagen cut its 2025 forecast after U.S. tariffs slashed €1.3 billion from profits, but strong EV demand and European sales offer signs of recove...
Caitlin Clark has shattered another record, this time off the court as a signed rookie card of the WNBA star sold for an unprecedented $660,000, the h...
The IMF has approved a $625 million loan program for Chad to support economic growth and social spending amid regional and economic challenges....
Cambodia has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand as border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors escalated f...
Trump rejected Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN....
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has asked Israel to provide evidence backing its claim that staff with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are linked to Hamas.
At least 652 children have died from malnutrition in Nigeria’s Katsina state in the first six months of 2025, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Friday, blaming funding cuts by international donors for worsening conditions.
Gaza ceasefire hopes dimmed as both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump declared negotiations with Hamas had failed. Their remarks came during escalating violence and growing hunger in the war-torn enclave.
Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Türkiye held a phone conversation on 25 July to discuss their strategic alliance, regional security, and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday praised Pakistan's role in promoting regional stability and discussed deeper cooperation on counterterrorism, trade, and critical minerals during a meeting in Washington with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Ukrainian forces are engaged in intense battles near the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics center where Russian forces have been steadily advancing and claiming new territory almost daily.
Cambodia has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand as border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors escalated for a second consecutive day, AFP reports.
Trump rejected Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his support for maintaining the restrictions on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons outlined in the 2010 New START treaty, which is set to expire in February
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment