"Abu Dhabi Stem Cells" Develops an immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis
ABU DHABI, 1st December / WAM / The Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center created a qualitative medical achievement, which was the development of an advanced immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis in the Middle East, based on the “Therox” platform for treatment with photovirilization technology, which was approved by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, to constitute a pioneering step that consolidates the country’s position in medical innovation.
For the first time in the world, the first clinical trials that applied the “Extracorporeal Photosensitization (ECP)” treatment technique to patients with multiple sclerosis were successfully completed, opening the door to an innovative treatment option for this complex neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing difficulties in movement, balance, and speech, which makes treatment with the ECP technique a new glimmer of hope, especially for patients for whom traditional treatments no longer achieve the desired response.
Extracorporeal photosensitization therapy is traditionally used to treat graft-versus-host disease and skin T-cell cancer, but the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center has expanded its scope of use to include neuroimmune disorders, relying on a technique based on withdrawing white blood cells from the patient, activating them with light outside the body, and then returning them to the patient with the aim of restoring balance to the immune system, which may contribute to slowing the progression of the disease and reducing the severity of its symptoms.
The National MS Society (NMSS) has been supportive in advancing this research by providing funding to accelerate and expand the scope of the study.
Through its research grant programs, the Society continues to support pioneering studies such as the PHOMS study, which contribute to deepening scientific understanding, improving the standard of care, and accelerating progress for the MS community.
Professor Yendry Ventura, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center and the lead researcher in the study, said that the integration of efforts between various partners within the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi, led by the Department of Health and the Multiple Sclerosis Society, formed an essential foundation for the success of this pivotal study, which consolidates the UAE’s position as a leading regional power in the fields of stem cell therapy and advanced treatments.
He explained that the results that will be published soon may pave the way for the adoption of a new treatment option for patients with multiple sclerosis around the world, stressing the center’s pride in these innovations being launched from Abu Dhabi to the world.
He added that every research step taken by the team brings them closer to solid scientific solutions for neurological diseases of immune origin, noting that the results of the PHOMS study and their strategic partnership with Therox reflect the UAE’s commitment to accelerating the pace of scientific research and developing treatments that make a real impact on the lives of patients.
For her part, Sandra Thompson, Co-CEO of Therakos LLC, said that the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center’s expertise and commitment to scientific excellence and patient-oriented research represent a pioneering model of fruitful scientific cooperation, stressing the company’s aspiration to strengthen the joint partnership to achieve tangible progress that serves the multiple sclerosis patient community in the UAE.
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