Amid terror wave, Israeli researcher finds way to quickly stop bleeding wounds
Until now, the only blood-stopping solutions for wounds caused by violent stabbings have been either too weak or so strong that they cause deadly blood clots.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHUpdated: MARCH 15, 2016 01:27Knife at scene of Jaffa gate stabbing in Jerusalem, March 11, 2016.(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
A new method for stopping uncontrolled bleeding of victims that could save many who have been stabbed by terrorists has been developed by a researcher at Ariel University.Until now, the only blood-stopping solutions for the type of deep wounds caused by such violent stabbings sustained by the injured have been either too weak or so strong that they cause deadly blood clots.Even the most able medical first responders often do not have the most effective solutions to save lives when every second counts.Moshe Rogosnitzky, director of the Center for Drug Repurposing at the university and co-founder of the non-profit MedInsight Research Institute, he has spent his career advancing the field of personalized medicine and successfully innovating new uses for existing drugs. His discoveries have benefited hundreds of thousands of patients, and his scholarly publications span a wide range of subjects including: liver, pancreatic, breast and prostate cancers, Crohn’s disease, eye disorders, gastrointestinal and abdominal surgeries and hemostasis.Now Rogosnitzky has unintentionally discovered that gallium – a biometal currently used to stop bone loss in cancer patients – in liquid form (known as gallium nitrate), can rapidly halt bleeding from deep wounds without causing blood clots.The use of gallium for stopping bleeding from deep cuts provides additional benefits. Extensive research has shown that gallium is a very powerful anti-infective and speeds the healing of injuries caused by deep gashes which are often produced by the knives and other type of weapons used by terrorists.Gallium, he explained, works by inducing “flocculation” of the clotting protein in blood known as fibrinogen. This results in external clot formation. In stark contrast to other treatments for bleeding wounds, gallium does not induce clotting mechanisms in the blood.This avoids the highest risk of existing technologies that run the risk of causing deadly internal blood clots.According to Rogosnitzky, gallium has the potential to “dramatically increase the chances of survival by victims of terrorism or accidents.However, it is vital to get this discovery from the lab to the clinic as quickly as possible. The sooner it gets to the market, the sooner it can be used effectively to save lives.”
At this stage, gallium has to undergo studies to determine the optimal dose and delivery method prior to filing for marketing authorization by the health authorities. In addition, a comparative efficacy trial with other technologies for stopping bleeding needs to occur, he added.To speed up the process for clinical development and availability of gallium, an online fundraising campaign called Stop the Bleeding, has been initiated through We Fund the Cure – a US-based nonprofit organization.The researchers urgently need funding to move forward to the next stage.“Unfortunately, there seems to be no immediate end in sight to the kind of violent terrorist attacks facing Israelis. Gallium can provide instantaneous help to victims in Israel. Our goal is to place gallium in every first aid kit and every ambulance, ensuring that every stabbing victim has an increased chance of survival. In order to move forward quickly we need resources for clinical testing,” said Rogosnitzky.“Moreover,” he added, “as blood loss remains the leading cause of death from stabbings and other external injuries, it is our hope that this innovation can help innocent victims of violent crime or accidents throughout the world by significantly reducing mortality rate and providing an effective and safe answer for blood loss from wounds.”