Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has established a specialized gene therapy center to treat rare genetic disorders such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Gulf Times reported.
The announcement was made at Arab Health 2025, where Sidra Medicine is showcasing its international patient services, including gene therapy, reproductive medicine, and cardiac care.
The new center strengthens Sidra Medicine’s role as a regional leader in advanced medical treatments, drawing patients from the GCC and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.
“As a Qatari institution, our mission is to create a regional hub of excellence, allowing children across the Arab world to access advanced therapies without the need for long-distance travel,” said Prof. Tawfeg Ben-Omran, division chief of Genetic and Genomic Medicine at Sidra Medicine.
The center is designed to meet the growing demand for innovative treatments for SMA and DMD, with plans to expand services to other rare and complex genetic conditions.
Since launching its gene therapy program in 2022, Sidra Medicine has provided life-changing treatments to 30 children with SMA and 15 children with DMD, attracting patients from 11 countries.
“The availability of gene therapies for SMA and DMD at Sidra Medicine marks a major advancement in the treatment of these rare disorders,” said Prof. Ibrahim Janahi, Sidra Medicine’s acting chief medical officer and chair of medical education.
DMD, the most common inherited muscle disorder, primarily affects males, with symptoms appearing between ages two and three. SMA, a rare genetic disease, leads to progressive muscle weakness and can be life-threatening, often impairing essential motor functions such as sitting, crawling, and swallowing.
