The nation is emerging as a global hub for bone marrow transplants and advanced cell therapies.
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates is continuing to strengthen its position in regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies, reinforcing its role as a regional and global hub for innovation in advanced and gene-based treatments.
This aligns with a broader vision to build a sustainable healthcare system driven by innovation, clinical excellence and institutional integration.
The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre, accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, stands out as a leading national model in this field.
The centre integrates clinical care, scientific research and biomanufacturing within a unified framework, enabling broader use of stem cells to treat complex conditions through bone marrow transplantation and gene therapies, as well as in orthopaedic and aesthetic applications.
The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre is also spearheading advanced research into immunological, genetic and cancer-related diseases, while leveraging artificial intelligence in diagnostics in collaboration with Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi and AstraZeneca.
The Yas Clinic Hospital, the clinical arm of the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre, is expanding the scope of cellular and gene therapies while strengthening specialised services. This supports closer integration between research and clinical practice under the supervision of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
In collaboration with ADSCC, the hospital has introduced advanced treatments such as mononuclear immune cell therapy and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy (UC-MSC). It has also used chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy to treat a 38-year-old patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and triple-positive antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).
In partnership with ADSCC and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the hospital carried out the UAE’s first gene therapy administration for haemoglobin disorders using CASGEVY, based on CRISPR-Cas9. The treatment is designed for patients with sickle cell disease who experience recurrent vaso-occlusive crises or those with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia.
CRISPR-Cas9
CRISPR-Cas9 enables precise editing of disease-causing genes by targeting specific DNA sequences using guide RNA, while the Cas9 enzyme acts as a molecular “scissor” to cut DNA at the desired location, allowing correction of genetic defects.
The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre has also developed an advanced technique to generate neural stem cells derived from a patient’s own cells, marking a significant step forward in regenerative medicine.
In bone marrow transplantation, the medical team has achieved several milestones, including a successful transplant from an unrelated donor for a 55-year-old Emirati patient, treatment of a Palestinian child from the Gaza Strip, and saving the life of a Pakistani infant in a critical emergency case.
In one rare instance, a full tissue match with the father enabled a transplant to be performed without the need for prior conditioning.
113 bone marrow transplants
The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre team also performed a complex transplant for a one-year-old diagnosed in infancy with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia linked to a high-risk genetic mutation, highlighting continued progress in treating paediatric cancers.
In 2025, ADSCC, in collaboration with Yas Clinic – Khalifa City, carried out 113 bone marrow transplants, bringing the total to 240 since 2022.
The centre also administered 26 CAR-T therapies, achieving outcomes comparable to leading international centres, with survival rates reaching 80 per cent and more than 75 per cent of performance indicators exceeded.
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine is a relatively new field focused on repairing or replacing damaged cells, tissues and organs.
It relies on advanced technologies such as bioengineering, gene therapy and cell transplantation.
Stem cells, which can self-renew and develop into specialised cell types, form the foundation of these treatments and are sourced from bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and other tissues.
