Sir Martin Evans, the 2007 Nobel Prize winner recognized for identifying embryonic stem cells, revealed on Wednesday that he will host the next pivotal controlled trial of his heart failure therapy in Abu Dhabi. The announcement took place at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, an event patronized by the emirate’s Crown Prince. Evans, who established the UK-based biotechnology firm Cardiogeni, stated that the local health department offered the regulatory backing and encouragement he had not found in other regions. He described the Abu Dhabi authority as supportive and non-restrictive, helping ensure proper regulatory frameworks while actively encouraging the project.
The therapy, named CLXR-001, involves injecting mesenchymal stem cells harvested from bone marrow into the heart muscle during bypass surgery. According to Khaleej Times, Evans explained that these cells do not remain permanently in the body. Instead, they transmit a biochemical message that revives dormant cardiac tissue. Evans detailed how some muscle cells enter a hibernation state after a heart attack, staying alive but ceasing to beat, and the injected cells appear to reactivate these reserve muscles for use again.
Initial evidence for the treatment stems from a European Phase IIa trial, which reported statistically significant gains in heart function, reduced scarring, and improved quality of life. Ten patients with severe heart failure who were initially given a prognosis of six months to two years have largely survived, with most still alive approximately eight years after receiving the experimental injections. Evans characterized the current protocol as a preliminary step, comparing it to the Model T Ford, and suggested that future iterations will be superior.
The upcoming Abu Dhabi study will be larger in scale and double-blind, ensuring that neither patients, doctors, nor researchers know who receives the active treatment versus a dummy injection. This design meets the standards required for global regulatory approval. Evans indicated that if the trial proves effective, Abu Dhabi could become the first health body to approve the therapy for widespread use, potentially benefiting a large number of patients worldwide. He emphasized that the local health authority is supportive and helps ensure regulations are properly in place without being overly restrictive.