The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) announced the successful launch of its new academic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T Cell Therapy Program, a transformative step in advancing personalized cancer treatment in Lebanon.
The CAR-T Cell Therapy Program team at AUBMC has successfully treated the first patient with chemotherapy-resistant lymphoma. This comprised of local production of CAR-T cells, quality check, infusion to patient, and confirmation of tumor response. This marks a major milestone in the institution’s commitment to innovative, patient-centered cancer care.
Commenting on this achievement, AUB President Fadlo R. Khuri said, “This is the transformation of a university that believes in excellence, in specialization, and in creating impact that goes far beyond our campus.”
CAR-T cell therapy is a cutting-edge treatment that involves reprogramming the patient’s own immune cells to recognize and attack cancer cells, offering new hope for patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant blood cancers. The CAR-T Cell Therapy Program represents the culmination of years of research, clinical expertise, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
As the director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program at AUBMC, Dr. Ali Bazarbachi expressed pride for this accomplishment, saying, “Our aim is curing patients with blood cancers. This can only be achieved by continuing to bring innovative therapies that are provided through fantastic team work, like an orchestra performing a piece of music.”
AUBMC is thrilled to offer this potentially curative and life-saving therapy to patients in Lebanon and the region and to contribute to the global effort in transforming blood cancer treatment.
Launching this program is not just about scientific innovation; it is about pioneering healthcare, delivering hope to patients and their families, and redefining what is possible in blood cancer treatment in the country and region.
About AUBMC
Since 1902, AUBMC has been providing the highest standards of care to patients across Lebanon and the region. It is also the teaching hospital for the Faculty of Medicine at AUB (established in 1867), which has trained generations of medical students and physicians, and whose graduates can be found at leading institutions around the world. AUBMC is the only medical institution in the Middle East to have earned the five international accreditations of JCI, Magnet, CAP, ACGME-I and JACIE attesting to its superior standards in patient-centered care, nursing, pathology/laboratory services and graduate medical education.
The Faculty of Medicine has graduated over 4,000 medical students and physicians; the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing provides excellent education for the nursing staff, and the Medical Center meets the healthcare needs of over 360,000 patient visits annually.