ABU DHABI, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC), a leading research institute in Abu Dhabi, will begin a ground-breaking clinical trial to help treat multiple sclerosis (MS) having obtained the approval of the Research Committee of Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
The stem cell research hub will begin the recruitment and enrolment of 45 patients in the Phase 1/2 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a pioneering new technology Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP), which will be used in the MS treatment.
ADSCC’s team of scientists and physicians have made all the necessary preparations and the study will now move to the next stage with the end goal of establishing immunomodulatory in patients.
Dr Yendry Ventura, ADSCC’s General Manager and a specialist in Immunology, said, “The UAE is bringing the unique and innovative treatments that are mostly found in the West to the region in this ground-breaking clinical trial.
“Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating disease that can have a devastating impact on many patients’ lives in the Middle East and around the world and our world-leading research center has the chance to advance global biotechnology treatments to the next level.
“Getting here is the result of years of tireless work and commitment from our fantastic team at ADSCC and we are thrilled to be at the start of the Phase 1/2 study.
“Researchers will closely evaluate 45 patients during the one-year trial, and we anticipate providing life-changing remedies for people in the UAE, the Middle East and beyond.”
Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) conveys immunomodulatory effects and has been used successfully since 1987 in the palliative treatment of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) skin symptoms, and in fighting conditions that share some of MS characteristics.
The trial has been registered in the US Government’s ClinicalTrials.gov public database, the internationally renowned platform recognised by the World Health Organisation.
ADSCC is also set to showcase results of three basic research studies conducted in patients using the same techniques at the 48th EBMT Annual Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, from 19th to 23rd March. EBMT brings together health professionals from all over the world to present unique guides and the latest research in the medical world.
ADSCC was founded in March 2019 with the primary objective of meeting growing domestic and regional demand for advanced medical services and the most innovative treatments in the country. As a leader in stem cell therapy in the UAE and region, ADSCC recently succeeded in its first experiment to locally manufacture CAR T-Cells in a laboratory and is close to starting clinical trials to prove the safety and effectiveness of CAR T-Cell therapy in treating hematologic cancers. The center is also working towards creating treatments for type-1 diabetes.
Source: Emirates News Agency