UAE – Burjeel Holdings has joined forces with OncoHelix Inc. to set up a high-tech laboratory in Abu Dhabi to provide advanced molecular genetics, cellular, and immunological profile testing to patients in the United Arab Emirates.
The diagnostic laboratory will be equipped with cutting-edge technologies and staffed by highly trained clinical experts to assist oncologists and physicians in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and tailored treatment for patients with cancer, genetic diseases, or immune disorders.
The joint statement said: “The partnership between OncoHelix Inc. and Burjeel Holdings represents an essential step forward in the expansion of clinical diagnostics and translational research, as well as in improving healthcare outcomes for patients in the UAE.”
This news comes as Burjeel Medical City launched global clinical trials in Abu Dhabi to develop new treatments for thalassaemia, a group of inherited blood disorders that affect the body’s production of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
The trials will be conducted in collaboration with several centres and multiple sites across the United States of America, the European Union, and Asia.
Under the latest exclusive agreement, the new lab will leverage Burjeel Holdings’ existing translational research program and analyze cancer patients’ genomic and immune signatures to develop innovative approaches for diagnosis and treatment.
Burjeel Holdings has a Laboratory Services arm, coLAB, that operates a network of 12 internationally accredited laboratories including 4 labs accredited by the College of American Pathologists.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by John Sunil, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Burjeel Holdings, and Dr. Faisal Khan, CEO of OncoHelix and Associate Professor at the University of Calgary.
Welcoming the deal, John Sunil, CEO of Burjeel Holdings, said: “Burjeel Holdings continues to invest in and establish new partnerships that help promote the expansion of our translational research program and improve patient outcomes.”
The collaborative project between Burjeel Holdings and OncoHelix, which has the largest breadth of clinically validated comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) panels for cancer in Canada, is expected to begin the local advanced diagnostic program by the end of 2023.
This deal comes as the global market for genetic testing is anticipated to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.50 percent and reach a value of over US$22,800 million between 2019 and 2024, according to publicly available data by Market Research Future (MRFR).
On his part, Dr. Faisal Khan, CEO of OncoHelix, said: “The local advanced diagnostic program will aid in the early and accurate diagnosis of malignancies and immunological disorders as well as pave the road for newer treatment options guided by disease-specific molecular signatures.”
This strategic alliance marks a significant step forward in bringing precision medicine-based treatment methods to clinics and hospitals in the UAE and the wider Middle East region.
Similarly, Synergy Oncology, part of Synergy Laboratories, plans to pair its lab technologies with the Sophia DDM for Hereditary Cancers Solution to launch an end-to-end solution for tumor profiling used in cancer research and clinical studies.
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