UAE Medcare Expands Access to Intrathecal SMA Gene Therapy

Medcare Royal Specialty Hospital, located in the United Arab Emirates, has become one of the first centers outside the USA to provide the newly licensed intrathecal gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The therapy removes all previous age and weight restrictions, thus giving access to treatment with the SMA for older children, teenagers, and adults.

The therapy is called Itvisma, and it focuses on the genetic reason behind SMA. The defective survival motor neuron gene is replaced, which helps the patients to regain motor function as well as to require less long-term treatment. The Emirates Drug Establishment gave its approval to Itvisma, which means that the UAE is the second country in the world to administer this treatment after the US.

The introduction of this therapy by Medcare means that the families that were previously told that their children were not eligible due to age or weight can now have a new hope. The hospital has been providing gene therapy to a number of children since 2020, and as a result, it has attracted patients from all over the world, thereby contributing to Dubai’s fast-growing reputation as a place for advanced medical care.

The hospital administrations mention that the extension of the gene therapy access is in line with the UAE’s goal of becoming a global center for high-tech healthcare. The integrated care model at Medcare encompasses multidisciplinary teams concentrating on patient results and long-term follow-up, hence supporting the improvement of quality of life for people with rare genetic disorders.

The granting of this license has created a new scenario in the treatment of SMA as it allows the patients who are not in their early childhood times still to enjoy the benefits of one-time, and potential life-changing, gene therapy.