In a national milestone bringing hope to thousands of patients, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) has launched Saudi Arabia’s first gene and cell therapy manufacturing facility, designed to provide advanced treatments locally, achieve cost savings estimated at SAR 8 billion by 2030, and meet around 9% of the domestic demand for advanced therapies by localizing immune and cell therapy manufacturing technologies.
The facility, spanning over 5,000 square meters within the hospital’s Riyadh campus, will begin its initial operations by the end of 2025, producing advanced immunotherapies based on T-cells, stem cells, and viral vector technologies. Future expansions will include gene-editing techniques and the production of liver and pancreatic islet cells to treat complex genetic and immune diseases, reaching a production capacity of 2,400 therapeutic doses annually by 2030.
Operating under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards — the global gold standard for ensuring safe and high-quality therapeutic production — the facility integrates smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence technologies in quality monitoring and process control, ensuring precision, reliability, and scalability for future growth.
This project marks a transformational leap in Saudi Arabia’s biopharmaceutical industry, strengthening its research and innovation capabilities and opening new horizons for national talents to participate in developing future medical treatments.
KFSH&RC is rapidly advancing toward producing up to 100 gene therapies annually, aligning with the National Biotechnology Strategy launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which aims to improve national health, enhance quality of life, localize biotechnological industries, and maximize economic impact, positioning Saudi Arabia as a global hub for life sciences innovation by 2040.
During its participation in the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh, KFSH&RC is showcasing its pioneering innovations, including the gene and cell therapy manufacturing facility, alongside robotic surgery programs, immune cell therapies, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and augmented reality technologies in medical education, offering an interactive experience that reflects the hospital’s vision to localize medical knowledge and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional center for health innovation.
KFSH&RC has been ranked #1 in the Middle East and North Africa and #15 globally among the Top 250 Academic Medical Centers for 2025, recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East by Brand Finance 2025, and featured by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals 2025, Smart Hospitals 2026, and Specialized Hospitals 2026.