Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre turns tumours into cancer-fighting weapons

The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC) has achieved a major medical milestone by successfully isolating Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) from breast and lung tumours for the first time in the UAE, marking a breakthrough in the fight against cancer.

This accomplishment signals the launch of the country’s first programme dedicated to developing TIL therapy, a cutting-edge form of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to target and destroy cancer. Approved by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) as an observational study, the project represents a new era in personalised medicine.

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Unlike chemotherapy, which affects both healthy and cancerous cells, TIL therapy involves extracting immune cells from a tumour sample, multiplying them in a controlled laboratory environment, and reinfusing them into the patient to attack cancer cells directly.

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Dr Zaima Mazorra Herrera, a lead scientist at ADSCC, said the therapy turns a patient’s tumour into a personalised cancer-fighting system, describing it as a “living therapy tailored to the individual.”

The approach has shown promising results in treating melanoma and offers hope for patients with advanced solid tumours, including lung, cervical and head and neck cancers.

ADSCC’s Chief Executive Officer Prof. Yendry Ventura said the centre’s new capability positions the UAE at the forefront of medical innovation and aligns with the nation’s spirit of progress ahead of National Day. He added that building this expertise locally eliminates the need for patients to travel abroad and contributes vital research data to the global scientific community.

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and SEHA, the project lays the groundwork for future clinical trials and large-scale production of TILs and TCR-engineered T cells.

ADSCC plans to begin clinical studies to collect tumour samples, with the goal of making this pioneering therapy available to eligible patients across the UAE in the coming years.