RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) has successfully produced CAR T-cells internally for cancer treatment. This breakthrough has reduced the cost of treatment from 1.3 million SAR to approximately 250,000 SAR per treatment, making it available to patients within 14 days.
This achievement overcomes all cost and shipping challenges, alleviating patient suffering by providing timely treatment and supporting national efforts to localize biotechnological industries. The announcement of this milestone, which further solidifies KFSHRC's position as a leader in specialized healthcare, was made during the opening of the Advanced Therapies Forum held this Sunday morning. The forum aims to expand the number of clinical trials in T-cell therapy and gene therapy, providing patients in the Kingdom with access to these novel treatments and offering industrial partners the opportunity to explore clinical research initiatives at KFSHRC.
Prior to the internal production of the treatment, the production period ranged from 21 to 28 days due to manufacturing outside the Kingdom. This subjected the process to numerous logistical challenges and supply chain disruptions, including cryopreservation, shipping to external manufacturing centres, and subsequent re-shipping back to the hospital, often resulting in potential delays in treatment access and prolonged patient suffering. This accomplishment is the result of seamless.
