A hunch by a respected Israeli biochemist about a molecule found in papaya has opened the door to revolutionize the treatment for metabolic and respiratory disorders, including cystic fibrosis (CF) in children.

Inspired by the hunch, Israeli biotech startup ODE Pharma was founded with the mission of developing safe and cost-effective treatments for children suffering from the genetic disease.

CF is caused by a defective gene that makes the body produce thick and sticky mucus in the lungs and other organs, which leads to a variety of serious lifelong issues, including chronic respiratory problems and recurrent lung infections.

There is no cure for the disease, and although a range of treatments have been developed to ease its symptoms, they can be expensive and are limited in scope.

But ODE believes its new therapy can make a difference to young people suffering from the disease and other respiratory disorders, by healing lung cells that have been damaged.

“We want people to go from uncomfortable to comfortable,” ODE Pharma CEO Assaf Bivas tells NoCamels.

Keep reading at nocamels.com.

The molecule startup ODE Pharma is utilizing was first suggested by two Israeli biochemists, one of whom is Technion Distinguished Professor and Nobel laureate Aaron Ciechanover.