The Seoul Times

A patent granted by the UAE’s Ministry of Economy for the development of an innovative treatment for coronavirus infections. It uses stem cells, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Friday.

A team of doctors and researchers developed the treatment at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center, ADSCC. It also involves extracting stem cells from the patient’s own blood and reintroducing them after activating them. The patent was for the innovative method as collecting stem cells, WAM said.

73 COVID-19 patients received the treatment and recovered after inhaling the treatment. It had been nebulized into a fine mist, into their lungs.

The treatment has successfully undergone the initial phase of clinical trials, demonstrating its safety. None of the patients who received the treatment reported immediate adverse effects.

More so, there were no interactions with the conventional treatment protocols for COVID-19 patients, WAM said.

Trials to demonstrate the efficacy of the treatment are ongoing and are to complete in a couple of weeks, it added.

According to WAM; patients got the treatment along with the conventional medical intervention. It will also continue to serve as an adjunct to establish treatment protocols rather than as a replacement.

Non-pharmacological interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as staying at home, social distancing and infection prevention and control measures remain necessary to reduce the burden of the disease on the healthcare system, said WAM.

UAE leadership congratulate citizens, residents on breakthrough COVID-19 treatment

ABU DHABI, 1st May 2020 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, today congratulated the citizens and residents of the UAE on the breakthrough made by a team of doctors and researchers at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center, ADSCC, in developing a promising treatment for COVID-19 infections using stem cells.

Their Highnesses thanked, on behalf of the people of the UAE, the team of doctors, researchers and support staff at ADSCC for their efforts in making this scientific breakthrough which, they said, will add to the global efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health and safety of the people of the world.

They emphasized that people's health and safety are given top priority in the UAE's plans and strategies and that the country will continue to enhance its proactive measures and initiatives to ensure safety of its citizens, residents and visitors.
Their Highnesses also underlined the early precautionary and preventive measures taken by the UAE since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

They praised the efforts of all sectors and entities and their staff for performing their duties at the highest possible level of efficiency, responsibility and professionalism in these critical times. They paid special tribute to the front-line heroes of healthcare professionals, including nurses, doctors, and paramedics.