MANAMA, Kingdom of Bahrain, Feb. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Bahrain Oncology Centre (BOC) has made scientific historical past through effectively treating a sickle mobile illness (SCD) affected person the use of CRISPR-based gene-editing remedy, Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel). This marks the primary a success remedy of its sort outdoor the US, positioning Bahrain as an international chief in precision medication and leading edge healthcare answers.
Casgevy, evolved through Vertex Prescription drugs and CRISPR Therapeutics, is the primary approved remedy to utilise CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing era, whose inventors had been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The remedy provides a possible useful treatment for SCD and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia (TDT)—inherited blood issues that considerably affect well being and existence expectancy.
This success follows Bahrain’s landmark choice on 2 December 2023 to grow to be the second one nation globally and the primary within the Center East to approve Casgevy for the remedy of SCD and TDT. The approval was once granted after a rigorous analysis of the remedy’s protection, high quality, and efficacy.
The multi-stage transplant procedure comes to stimulating the affected person’s bone marrow to provide huge amounts of stem cells the use of specialized injections, then enhancing the stem cells to provide pink blood cells wearing useful haemoglobin. The 3rd and ultimate degree is transplanting the edited cells again into the affected person’s bloodstream after rigorous high quality and protection trying out. This procedure can be utilized to regard Thalassaemia (Mediterranean anaemia).
HE. Dr. Jaleela bint AlSayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Well being, mentioned: “This milestone exemplifies Bahrain’s commitment to integrating global medical innovations into our national healthcare strategy. By fostering partnerships across institutions, we are delivering on our mandate to provide access to life-changing therapies for all beneficiaries and positioning Bahrain as a hub for innovative medical care, in line with the visionary directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.”
“Bahrain is proud to be at the forefront of cutting-edge healthcare advancements in the region. The successful administration of Gene edited autologous stem cell transplant demonstrates our dedication to providing access the most advanced treatments and reinforces our position as a regional hub for precision medicine,” mentioned Brigadier Dr. Shaikh Fahad bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Commander of the RMS. “This provides renewed hope for patients with complex blood disorders and reinforces the Kingdom’s growing focus on healthcare innovation.”
“As the clinical team responsible for delivering this groundbreaking treatment, we are honoured to bring CRISPR-based therapy to patients in Bahrain and beyond. Our success reflects the Bahrain Oncology Centre’s dedication to combining advanced technology with world-class expertise. This achievement, validated by our international accreditation in bone marrow transplantation, underscores our mission to transform patient outcomes through precision medicine and collaboration with global pioneers,” mentioned Dr Edward Rowland, CEO of Bahrain Oncology Centre.
The creation of gene-edited autologous stem mobile transplant aligns with Bahrain’s nationwide healthcare technique, which specializes in fostering world partnerships, using scientific innovation, and making sure get entry to to cutting-edge applied sciences. This technique displays the imaginative and prescient of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and High Minister, to supply world-class, leading edge healthcare.
The good fortune of this programme is the results of collaboration between the Ministry of Well being, the Royal Clinical Products and services, Govt Hospitals, and the Nationwide Well being Regulatory Authority, reinforcing Bahrain’s function as a regional chief in complex healthcare answers.
About Bahrain Oncology Centre
The Bahrain Oncology Centre (BOC) is a number one supplier of complete oncology products and services within the Kingdom, together with bone marrow transplantation. Dedicated to turning in world-class healthcare, BOC integrates state of the art scientific applied sciences with a multidisciplinary way to give a boost to affected person results. In 2024, BOC gained Vertex accreditation for its bone marrow transplant and cell remedy products and services, enabling it to supply, as an authorized centre of excellence, CRISPR-based gene-editing remedy, Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel), to sickle mobile dysfunction and beta thalassaemia sufferers from in all places the globe.
