Abu Dhabi administers UAE’s first CRISPR gene therapy CASGEVY for inherited blood disorders

Exam-focused facts from the 7 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Abu Dhabi marked the first administration of a gene-therapy injection for inherited blood disorders in the UAE using CASGEVY.
CASGEVY employs CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to correct faulty DNA causing sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
The therapy was given at Yas Clinic – Khalifa City in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals under the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).
The process involves extracting the patient’s stem cells, editing them with CRISPR-Cas9, and reinfusing the corrected cells to produce healthy blood cells.
The initial phase restricts treatment to Centers of Excellence like Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) before wider hospital rollout.