Cellenkos Inc. and King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Sign Strategic MOU to Advance T Regulatory Cell Therapies for Unmet Diseases

Cision Canada

22-05-2025

KFSHRC to lead Clinical Trials Targeting Aplastic Anemia and Graft vs. Host Disease
Cellenkos to Support Local Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing at KFSHRC
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia and HOUSTON, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) and Cellenkos ® Inc., a Texas based clinical stage biotech company, have signed a strategic international memorandum of understanding (MOU) following the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum 2025, underscoring KFSHRC's commitment to contributing to the advancement of medical innovation and strengthening strategic global collaborations and Cellenkos' resolve to develop T regulatory (Treg) Cell Therapies for treatment of rare diseases with unmet medical needs.
This landmark MOU establishes the foundation for strategic collaboration between KFSHRC and Cellenkos to launch the first clinical trial alliance between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. The partnership will begin with two clinical trials evaluating Cellenkos' Treg products for the treatment of Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) and Aplastic Anemia. This initiative will pave the way for expanding into neurodegenerative diseases, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and cardiovascular disorders. Simultaneously, Cellenkos will assist KFSHRC in building local infrastructure for cell and gene therapy manufacturing, training, and education.
"At KFSHRC, we remain deeply committed to improving treatment options for patients with Aplastic Anemia and GVHD—conditions that present serious challenges for many individuals and families in our care. We look forward to working together with Cellenkos in a way that serves our patients and supports the advancement of tailored therapeutic solutions," said His Excellency Dr. Majid bin Ibrahim Al Fayyadh, CEO of KFSHRC. "We are thrilled about this partnership and opportunity to work alongside a world-class institution like KFSHRC," said Dr. Simrit Parmar, Founder of Cellenkos and Faculty at Texas A&M University. "Having seen firsthand the sophistication of KFSHRC's bone marrow transplant program—including locally manufactured CD19 CAR T therapies, we're confident that this collaboration will significantly reduce costs and improve patient access. By utilizing KFSHRC's cord blood bank as a local source for manufacturing, we can optimize scalability and impact. This marks the beginning of a transformative era in Treg cell therapy for global healthcare."
About KFSHRC
KFSHRC is a leading healthcare, research, and education institution recognized throughout Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Established in 1975, the hospital is committed to providing world-class medical care and continuously advancing healthcare standards within the Kingdom, the Middle East, and the world. KFSHRC's mission is to serve society with the highest level of healthcare and the best patient experience in an integrated education and research setting. KFSHRC performs more than 300 Bone Marrow/Hematopoietic Stem Cell transplants a year, with 250 allogeneic transplants, where 11% of these transplants are for patients afflicted with Aplastic Anemia; 5% afflicted with Congenital BM Failure Syndromes, and another 12% for other bone marrow failure syndromes. KFSHRC has extensive experience in not only treating patients with advanced cell-based therapies such as CAR T, with 58 treatments in 2024 alone, but also has conducted more than 10 CAR T and Gene Therapy clinical trials, has an on-site CAR-T manufacturing facility, and is building a large GMP Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT) manufacturing facility on site. Additionally, KFSHRC Cord Blood Bank, launched in 2005, has approximately 3,000 stored cord blood units.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre has been ranked #1 in the Middle East and North Africa, and #15 globally among the world's top 250 academic medical centers. It is also recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Middle East according to Brand Finance 2024, and named one of the World's Best Smart Hospitals by Newsweek magazine for 2025.
About Cellenkos Inc.
Cellenkos is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing allogeneic, off-the-shelf, cord blood-derived T regulatory (Treg) cell therapies for rare inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Cellenkos is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Houston, Texas, focused on developing off-the-shelf Treg cell therapies for rare inflammatory diseases and autoimmune disorders. Cellenkos' Treg therapies, derived from allogeneic umbilical cord blood and its proprietary CRANE ® platform enables tissue-directed Treg therapies without HLA or ABO matching, suitable for outpatient administration and rapid point-of-care delivery. The company is committed to advancing the development of these promising therapies to improve the lives of patients with rare and underserved conditions.
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