Riyadh: Chief Executive Officer of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) Dr. Majid Alfayyadh said that the hospital’s in-house manufacturing and clinical use of CAR-T cell therapy marks a major shift in localizing advanced treatments and demonstrates the Kingdom’s readiness to adopt world-class therapeutic technologies, according to a press release issued by KFSHRC today.
According to Saudi Press Agency, speaking at the panel session titled ‘Which Markets Will Build the Next Biotech Megaclusters?’ during the ninth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) Conference, Dr. Alfayyadh noted that this milestone reflects the rapid growth of Saudi research and clinical capabilities and KFSHRC’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a regional hub for biotechnology. He added that the hospital is strengthening its research and biomanufacturing ecosystem in line with national priorities in precision medicine and gene therapy.
Dr. Alfayyadh emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology transformation is driven by an ambitious national vision to become a global medical innovation hub by 2040, supported by an integrated research, regulatory, and investment environment that attracts leading international partners.
He highlighted the accelerated regulatory progress, including the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s clinical trial approvals within as little as 60 days, as evidence of effective governance and a strong climate for research and innovation.
He added that building an advanced biotechnology sector depends on modern infrastructure, sustained investment, and flexible regulations that accelerate innovation and translate research into medical and commercial applications. He noted that integration across research, development, clinical trials, and commercialization forms the foundation for the growth of the Kingdom’s biotechnology sector.
According to Dr. Alfayyadh, international collaboration is a central pillar of this sector’s development, with the Kingdom forging strategic partnerships with leading research centers and global companies to exchange knowledge and transfer technology. This strengthens Saudi Arabia’s presence in the global bio-innovation and biomanufacturing ecosystem and advances Vision 2030 goals to localize biopharma and grow the knowledge economy.
He concluded by emphasizing that national talent is the cornerstone of a sustainable biotechnology sector. The Kingdom, he said, continues to invest in a new generation of scientists and researchers through scholarships and specialized training, alongside the imminent launch of a national GMP-compliant facility within the next two years. This will further strengthen Saudi Arabia’s biosufficiency and enable an innovation-driven healthcare economy.
KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and fifteenth globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2025 and has been recognized by Brand Finance as the region’s most valuable healthcare brand. It is also listed among Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2025, Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and Best Specialized Hospitals 2026, reaffirming its leadership in innovation-driven care.
