RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has announced that it will open the Kingdom’s first facility for manufacturing genetic and cellular therapies to meet roughly nine percent of the nation’s demand for such treatments.
According to a press release on Monday, the project is designed to give thousands of patients access to advanced treatments at home, and cut the cost of care by an estimated SAR8 billion by 2030.
Covering an area of 5,000 square meters within the hospital campus in Riyadh, the new facility is scheduled to begin operations in late 2025. It will focus on producing advanced immunotherapies utilizing T-cell, stem cell, and viral vector technologies.
Future expansion plans include integrating gene-editing capabilities and developing liver and pancreatic islet cells for the treatment of complex genetic and immune disorders.
By 2030, the facility is expected to deliver approximately 2,400 treatment doses annually.
According to the press release, the facility will operate in full compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards—the global benchmark for pharmaceutical production.
Every stage of the process, from air filtration to batch testing, will be rigorously monitored to ensure sterility, safety, and consistency.
AI-driven quality control systems will oversee operations, while a modular design will allow for efficient expansion and future scalability.
The project marks a major milestone in advancing the Kingdom’s biopharmaceutical sector, strengthening its capacity for medical research and innovation, and creating new pathways for national talent to participate in developing the next generation of life-saving therapies.
KFSHRC is rapidly expanding its production capacity to deliver 100 gene therapies annually.
This initiative aligns with the National Biotechnology Strategy, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
The strategy seeks to strengthen public health, enhance quality of life, and localize biopharmaceutical production while maximizing its economic contribution.
Ultimately, it aims to establish the Kingdom as a global center for life sciences innovation by 2040.
