Burjeel Holdings, a prominent healthcare provider in the UAE, has partnered with the US-based non-profit Caring Cross to locally produce CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapies. This collaboration will lead to a significant reduction in treatment costs for aggressive cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, making therapies available at up to 90% less than current international rates. This announcement was made during the opening of Abu Dhabi Health Week.

CAR-T therapy is an advanced form of immunotherapy primarily used to treat specific blood cancers. The process involves collecting T-cells from a patient’s blood, genetically modifying these cells to express a receptor that targets cancer cells, and then infusing them back into the patient to combat the disease.

The partnership aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem for the production of CAR-T therapies in the UAE. Caring Cross will supply the necessary technology, raw materials, and expert training to support this local production initiative, which is expected to improve access to life-saving treatments throughout the MENA region.

According to Khaleej Times, Dr. Ajlan Al Zaki, Director of the Hematology Oncology & Cellular Therapy Center at Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing that the collaboration will facilitate affordable and critical healthcare services to communities. The first phase of the initiative will focus on CAR-T therapies for leukemia and lymphoma, with plans to extend research to additional diseases, including HIV, in the future.

Currently, the cost of CAR-T therapies in global markets ranges from $350,000 to over $1 million, limiting access for many patients. By producing CAR-T therapies locally, Burjeel Holdings and Caring Cross aim to dismantle this financial barrier, enabling broader patient access throughout the MENA region and beyond. Boro Dropulić, Executive Director of Caring Cross, highlighted that this partnership aligns with their mission to make groundbreaking treatments accessible and affordable worldwide.