KFSHRC Pioneering Clinical Trials and Gene Therapy Across the Region - Middle East Business News and Information
As part of Saudi Arabia's broader biotechnology transformation under Vision 2030, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) solidified its role as the Kingdom's leading Clinical Trials hub in 2024 — conducting 52.4% of all active Clinical Trials nationwide, according to the Saudi National Institute of Health.
This milestone reflects the sustained success of KFSHRC's Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative, launched in 2021 to build an integrated, patient-centered research ecosystem. By the end of 2024, the hospital had recorded 701 active research proposals, representing an 8% increase over the previous year. In Riyadh alone, research approvals rose by 20%, demonstrating growing alignment between scientific discovery and clinical care delivery.
KFSHRC's research growth was matched by key innovation milestones. In 2024, it became the first in Saudi Arabia to locally produce CAR-T cells — a major step toward national self-sufficiency in advanced therapies. It also delivered a breakthrough in hemophilia care, using one-time gene therapy to restore clotting function in eight patients, eliminating preventive treatment and significantly improving quality of life.
These advancements align closely with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and National Biotechnology Strategy, which designate biotechnology as a national priority sector — aiming to localize therapeutic development, accelerate innovation, and establish global leadership by 2040.
Complementing its scientific leadership, KFSHRC has also invested in public engagement, launching awareness campaigns in high-traffic public venues to promote Clinical Trials literacy and reduce misconceptions around participation.
It is noteworthy that KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 15th globally among the world's top 250 Academic Medical Centres for the third consecutive year, and recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2025 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, it was included in the World's Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
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