Fungal infections have emerged as a formidable threat to the health and lives of the wounded soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who are engaged in combat within the underground tunnels of the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza. Tragically, at least one soldier has already lost his life to such an infection, despite the best efforts of the medical team to save him.
In light of this, the medical response to combat casualties in the Gaza Strip now includes immediate actions to identify and treat bacterial and fungal infections as soon as the wounded are admitted to the hospital. This approach has been integrated into the standard protocol for managing and treating war injuries.
As reported by the Walla portal, the medical team at Sheba Hospital is currently working tirelessly to save the life of another soldier, a reservist, who has contracted a severe fungal infection. His condition has been described as extremely critical.
In a determined effort to save the soldier, his family, in collaboration with doctors, initiated a campaign on social media platforms. This joint venture led to the discovery of an experimental drug called Fosmanogepix, currently undergoing clinical trials in Ireland. The family, along with the medical team, successfully obtained permission from the Ministry of Health to use this drug on compassionate grounds. This means the drug, which is not yet registered, can be administered in a bid to save the soldier’s life, given that there are no other available alternatives.
The pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, coordinated the delivery of this medicine to Israel for testing. There are plans to transport it on a special flight to Ben Gurion Airport today.
Fosmanogepix was initially developed by Amplyx Pharmaceuticals. In 2023, the rights for further development of this drug were procured by Basilea Pharmaceutica. The drug is currently in its second phase of clinical trials, with the third phase scheduled to commence towards the end of 2024.
