Doctors at Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC) have accomplished the region’s first successful bone marrow transplant on a patient with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), demonstrating Abu Dhabi’s emerging role as a healthcare and life sciences hub.
The significant achievement in bone marrow transplantation, carried out as part of the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant (AD-BMT) program, demonstrates a significant advancement in cell therapy and regenerative medicine capabilities to treat a variety of diseases, including cancer and immune disorders.
Earlier this month, doctors at ADSCC performed the region’s first autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) on a patient with MS, and the patient has since reported an improvement in her overall health. The ADSCC-developed medication tries to ‘reset’ a person’s immune system and can be used to treat relapsing types of MS.
The transplant success followed ADSCC’s pioneering work supporting Covid-19 patients during the pandemic, for which Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), hailed the center for its cutting-edge Covid-19 therapies. UAECell19, which ADSCC developed in 2020, was utilized to treat hundreds of Covid-19 patients, assisting in the regeneration of lung capacity through stem cell treatment.
The Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant (AD-BMT) program at ADSCC was established in 2020 as a comprehensive program to provide autologous and allogeneic HSCT for adults and children, as well as to execute various kinds of cell treatments such as adoptive cell transfer. The AD-BMT program team at ADSCC, lead by Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, AD-BMT Program Director, performed the treatment on the MS patient in coordination with the neurology staff at the center.
“At ADSCC, we are committed to ensuring the AD-BMT program meets the highest standards of quality and patient satisfaction at all steps of the process, including treatment, aftercare, and follow-up. With this new treatment, we have scaled our world-class capabilities, which represents hope and aims to improve the quality of life for everyone,” said Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, Director of the AD-BMT Program.
