Finance World Magazine| Edition: October 2024

Healthcare News
Abu Dhabi Stem Cells
Center and Burjeel
Expand Transplant
Services
Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center
(ADSCC) has partnered with
Burjeel Holdings to enhance
bone marrow transplant and cellular
therapy services at Burjeel Medical
City (BMC). This collaboration seeks
to improve access to cutting-edge
treatments for patients suffering from
blood cancers, genetic disorders,
and autoimmune diseases. As part of
the initiative, ADSCC will extend its
accredited Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow
Transplant Programme (AD-BMT) to
BMC, which is recognised by the Department
of Health – Abu Dhabi and
the Foundation for the Accreditation
of Cellular Therapy. John Sunil, CEO
of Burjeel Holdings, expressed that
the partnership marks a significant
advancement towards establishing a
world-class bone marrow transplant
programme focused on innovation and
superior patient outcomes. Since 2020,
ADSCC has completed over 120 bone
marrow transplants and conducted
various clinical trials.
Aster DM Healthcare to
Invest Heavily in Saudi
Hospitals and Medical
Centres
Aster DM Healthcare Ltd.’s Gulf
division is eyeing acquisitions
worth up to AED 918M to expand
its presence in Saudi Arabia. Managing
Director Alisha Moopen indicated that
these deals, focused on medical centres
and hospitals, could be finalised within
the next three to five years. Aster aims
to establish over 1,000 hospital beds,
180 pharmacies, and more than 20
medical centres in the Kingdom during
this period, building on its existing operations,
which include one hospital in
Riyadh and plans for approximately 20
pharmacies soon. Following a majority
stake sale of its Gulf business for AED
3.67B last year, Aster completed the
spinoff of this unit in April. Moopen
noted this is an opportune time for
growth before considering a public
listing in the coming years.
Burjeel Partners with Axiom Space for Space
Research Initiatives
UAE health service provider
Burjeel Holdings has entered a
partnership with Houston-based
Axiom Space to conduct scientific
research and test new technologies in
space, marking the start of a long-term
collaboration to enhance access to microgravity
for medical advancements.
A Memorandum of Understanding was
signed at the Burjeel Institute for Global
Health in New York, with attendance
from Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder
and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings,
and John Sunil, CEO of Axiom Space.
The partnership aims to send a suite
of medical technologies to space to
investigate how microgravity affects
the human body, including relevant
biomarkers and drug quality. Axiom
Space astronauts will operate these
technologies during their training and
Axiom Mission 4, scheduled for next
spring. Dr Lucie Low, Axiom’s Chief
Scientist, emphasised the significance
of this collaboration for global medical
research in space.
Saudi-Backed Health Fund Invests $10M in
Human Longevity to Extend Lifespan
Saudi-backed TVM Capital Healthcare
has invested $10M in San
Francisco-based Human Longevity
Inc. (HLI), part of a larger $40M
funding round aimed at supporting
the company’s growth in the US and
expanding into Saudi Arabia and Southeast
Asia. HLI is a pioneer in precision
medicine, focusing on longevity and
striving to extend human life beyond
100 years. Founded by Dr. J. Craig
Venter, HLI aims to revolutionise health
through the democratisation of genomics,
targeting avoidable diseases
to promote healthier living. The company
is renowned for its expertise in
genomics and precision medicine,
supported by a comprehensive longitudinal
patient dataset. HLI also
offers proprietary tools for detecting
gene-disease associations, including
an AI-driven health risk platform that
enables pre-symptomatic diagnosis and
personalised treatment plans.
Dubai Aims to Boost Medical Tourism Sector
Following $628M Revenue Surge
Dubai is strategically focusing on
expanding its medical tourism
sector, having reported indirect
revenues of over AED 628M last year.
To strengthen its position in the global
market, the Dubai Health Authority
(DHA) and the Dubai Department of
Economy and Tourism (DET) have
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU). This collaboration
seeks to establish Dubai as a top
destination for healthcare services,
quality of life, and overall well-being.
The MoU was signed by Helal Saeed
Almarri, Director General of DET, and
Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director
General of DHA, in the presence of key
officials and industry experts. According
to a recent report from the DHA,
2023 has seen remarkable growth in
medical tourism, with a notable rise in
international patients and healthcare
expenditure.
48 www.thefinanceworld.com Oct 2024