UAE strengthens its position in regenerative medicine, stem cell therapies

ABU DHABI, 4 May (BelTA - Emirates News Agency) - The United Arab Emirates is continuing to strengthen its position in regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies, reinforcing its role as a regional and global hub for innovation in advanced and gene-based treatments. This comes as part of a broader vision to build a sustainable healthcare system driven by innovation, clinical excellence and institutional integration.

The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC), accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), stands out as a leading national model in this field. The centre brings together clinical care, scientific research and biomanufacturing within an integrated framework, enabling wider use of stem cells in treating complex conditions through bone marrow transplantation and gene therapies, as well as in orthopaedic and aesthetic applications.

ADSCC is also leading advanced research into immunological, genetic and cancer-related diseases, while applying artificial intelligence in diagnostics in collaboration with Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, and AstraZeneca.

Yas Clinic Hospital, the clinical arm of the centre, continues to expand the scope of cellular and gene therapies while enhancing specialised services. This supports closer integration between research and clinical practice under the supervision of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi.

In collaboration with ADSCC, the hospital has introduced a number of advanced treatments, including mononuclear immune cell therapy and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy (UC-MSC). It also used chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) to treat a 38-year-old patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and triple-positive antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

In partnership with ADSCC and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the hospital also carried out the UAE’s first gene therapy administration for haemoglobin disorders using CASGEVY, based on CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The treatment is used for patients with sickle cell disease with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises or transfusion-dependent thalassaemia.

CRISPR-Cas9 works by enabling precise editing of disease-causing genes. It targets specific DNA sequences using guide RNA, while the Cas9 enzyme acts as a molecular “scissor” to cut DNA at the required location, allowing correction of genetic defects.

The centre has also developed an advanced technique to produce neural stem cells derived from a patient’s own cells, marking a notable step forward in regenerative medicine.

In bone marrow transplantation, the medical team has achieved several key milestones. These include a successful transplant from an unrelated donor for a 55-year-old Emirati patient, treatment of a Palestinian child from the Gaza Strip, and saving the life of a Pakistani infant in a critical emergency case. A rare full tissue match with the father enabled the transplant to be carried out without prior conditioning.

The team also performed a complex transplant for a one-year-old child diagnosed in infancy with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) linked to a high-risk genetic mutation, reflecting continued progress in the treatment of paediatric cancers.

In 2025, ADSCC, in collaboration with Yas Clinic - Khalifa City, carried out 113 bone marrow transplants, bringing the total to 240 since 2022. The centre also delivered 26 CAR-T therapies, achieving results comparable to leading international centres, with survival rates reaching 80 percent and more than 75 percent of performance indicators exceeded.

Regenerative medicine is a relatively new field focused on repairing or replacing damaged cells, tissues and organs. It relies on advanced technologies such as bioengineering, gene therapy and cell transplantation. Stem cells, which can renew themselves and develop into specialised cell types, form the basis of these treatments and are sourced from bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and other tissues.