Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, has announced that Lu Daopei Medical (LDP), a portfolio company of the Investcorp China Pre-IPO Healthcare Fund, has partnered with Florence Nightingale Hospital Group in Turkey to set up the first dedicated CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) stem cell therapy centre in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The key facility will be focused on the treatment of severe leukemia, including pediatric cases.
Announcing the launch, Investcorp said the partnership brings world-class CAR-T therapy, developed and refined in China, to the Middle East for the first time.
CAR-T therapy is an advanced form of immunotherapy that modifies a patient’s own immune cells to more effectively recognise and eliminate cancer cells.
This highly-personalised treatment has shown promising results in treating certain aggressive blood cancers and provides an alternative option for patients, particularly children, who have exhausted conventional options such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplantation.
Founded in 2001 by renowned hematology expert Dr Lu Daopei, LDP has grown into one of China’s largest specialist hematology hospital groups, with deep expertise in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, CAR-T therapies and complex blood disorders.
Through the partnership, LDP aims to create capacity for up to 200 CAR-T treatments annually, with plans to expand into broader oncology applications over time.
Mohammed Alardhi, Executive Chairman of Investcorp, said: "We are proud to support Lu Daopei Medical’s partnership with Florence Nightingale Hospital Group to bring advanced CAR-T cell therapy to the region. This initiative reflects our commitment to backing innovative healthcare companies that deliver meaningful impact, by expanding access to cutting-edge treatment options for patients who need them most."
Duncan Zheng, the Head of Investcorp China and Deputy Head of Emerging Markets Private Equity, said: "The launch of the center demonstrates the strength of cross-border collaboration and our ability to support portfolio companies in transferring proven clinical innovation into new markets. We see significant potential to further expand access to these therapies across the region as demand for specialized oncology care continues to grow."
Investcorp continues to support LDP’s broader international growth strategy, including identifying additional partners to extend access to these therapies across the GCC, alongside its continued expansion into Southeast Asia, Latin America and Central Asia, stated Zheng.
The establishment of the CAR-T center strengthens regional healthcare infrastructure, reduces the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment and positions the Middle East as an emerging hub for next-generation cell therapy and oncology care, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
