Last month, BioProcess Insider reported the partnership between Burjeel Holdings and Caring Cross to improve chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy access in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We spoke with Boro Dropulić, executive director of Caring Cross, to learn more about the state of advanced therapies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Responses have been lightly edited for brevity.
BioProcess Insider (BPI): What are the key challenges in accessing advanced therapies in the MENA region, and how is the new partnership between Caring Cross and Burjeel Holdings addressing such gaps?
Boro Dropulić (BD): Historically, access to advanced therapies like CAR-T cell treatments in the MENA region has been hindered by the lack of local manufacturing infrastructure, high costs, and dependency on imports from Western countries. Treatments can cost up to $1 million in the US and Europe, pricing out many patients in emerging markets. The partnership between Caring Cross and Burjeel Holdings addresses that gap by enabling local, point-of-care manufacturing of CAR-T therapies, significantly reducing costs, by up to 90%, and building regional capacity for sustainable treatment delivery.
BPI: What is the current landscape of training and skills development in the region to support advanced therapy manufacturing?
BD: Training and workforce development are still evolving in the MENA region for advanced therapy manufacturing. Through this collaboration, Caring Cross is providing Burjeel Holdings with comprehensive technology transfer, hands-on training, and operational support to equip local scientists, clinicians, and technicians with the skills needed to produce and deliver CAR-T therapies. This capacity-building effort aims to create a robust local talent pool and establish regional centers of excellence.
BPI: How does the Caring Cross-Burjeel partnership compare to other regional biomanufacturing developments like contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) expansions in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
BD: While CDMO networks in the UAE and Saudi Arabia have largely focused on commercial biopharmaceutical production, the Caring Cross-Burjeel partnership pioneers a point-of-care manufacturing model that produces patient-specific therapies directly within hospitals. This represents a paradigm shift toward decentralized, personalized medicine, ensuring timeliness, cost-efficiency, and greater accessibility. It complements broader CDMO developments by filling a critical gap in cell and gene therapy (CGT) capabilities tailored for the local population.
BPI: What technologies are being prioritized for investment in this new model of advanced therapy production?
BD: The partnership emphasizes decentralized, point-of-care manufacturing systems that enable the hospital-based production of patient-specific CAR-T therapies. A critical component of this model is access to high-quality, clinical-grade lentiviral vectors, which are essential for reprogramming T-cells. Vector BioMed, a spinout company launched by Caring Cross, plays a role in this ecosystem by providing GMP-grade lentiviral vectors that power CAR-T and other gene therapies.
These technologies, combined with standardized production protocols and comprehensive training, make the local, affordable delivery of gene therapies a reality and lay the groundwork for expanding into treatments for other diseases such as sickle cell disease and autoimmune diseases.
BPI: How are regional government visions, such as Saudi Vision 2030, influencing the shift toward advanced biomanufacturing capabilities?
BD: Initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE’s National Strategy for Advanced Innovation are creating strong incentives for investment in biotechnology and healthcare infrastructure. The Caring Cross-Burjeel collaboration aligns with these national goals.
BPI: What opportunities does the Caring Cross-Burjeel collaboration reveal for future international partnerships in the Middle East?
BD: This partnership sets a precedent for nonprofit-private sector collaborations that combine local healthcare infrastructure with global scientific expertise to democratize access to high-cost treatments. It opens the door for similar ventures in countries seeking to localize advanced therapies. Our mission-driven model, focused on technology transfer and sustainability, provides a replicable framework for governments and health systems across the region.
BPI: What financing models support this collaboration, and how could they inform other biomanufacturing ventures in the region?
BD: While specific financial terms are undisclosed, the collaboration leverages a public-health focused, nonprofit financing model, enabling long-term cost savings through local production rather than high-margin, centralized commercialization. This model emphasizes technology transfer, infrastructure investment, and regional self-sufficiency, and could inspire hybrid financing strategies combining philanthropic capital, government funding, and private sector partnerships.
BPI: How does your initiative address the environmental impact of biomanufacturing, and how is sustainability being prioritized in implementation?
BD: Point-of-care manufacturing inherently reduces the logistical and carbon footprint associated with centralized production and transcontinental shipping of therapies. By localizing the manufacturing process within hospitals, this approach not only enhances responsiveness to patient needs but also aligns with sustainability objectives.
