10/7/2024 5:00 PM

KFSHRC Advances Precision Medicine with Breakthrough Genetic Diagnosis Protocol and Home-grown Car-T Cells

Core Resources at KFSHRC 4

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) is advancing healthcare in Saudi Arabia through novel precision medicine initiatives, including a new genetic diagnosis protocol aimed at zero undiagnosed infectious diseases and in-house CAR-T cell production.

Dr. Dana Bakheet, a Clinical Genomics Scientist at KFSHRC, will participate in the upcoming Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh from Oct 21-23, 2024. She expressed her anticipation, stating: “I am excited to share KFSHRC's recent advancements in genetic diagnosis, particularly the metagenomic sequencing protocol. This innovation is enhancing the detection of infectious diseases and aims to provide timely, precise diagnoses, enabling more effective treatment plans and improved patient outcomes.”

Building on this, KFSHRC’s metagenomic sequencing protocol has demonstrated the ability to identify pathogens within 24 hours, overcoming the limitations of conventional methods, which often fail to detect underlying causes. This rapid diagnostic protocol has been applied to over 100 patients, delivering timely and effective interventions, particularly for antibiotic-resistant or unexplained infections.

KFSHRC's Clinical Pharmacogenomics Service personalizes drug treatment to patients' genetic profiles, minimizing adverse reactions and enhancing treatment outcomes. This service optimizes medication regimens across multiple specialties and supports KFSHRC’s drive toward personalized medicine. Efforts are also underway to expand this service and build an inclusive genomic database to ensure inclusive, effective treatment protocols for all patients in Saudi Arabia.

With the global cancer therapy market projected to reach USD 409.7 billion by 2029, KFSHRC is addressing the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, including cancer, through its in-house CAR-T cell production. This reduces treatment delays from 28 to 12-14 days and costs from SAR1.3 million to SAR250,000.

It is noteworthy that KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centres for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, the same year, Newsweek magazine ranked it among the world's best 250 hospitals.

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