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Dr Abdulla Ibrahim Al Khayat, CEO of Al Jalila Children’s Specialized Hospital, said: “This is an important partnership that could lead to a major breakthrough in the way critically ill patients are treated in the Middle East.”
“This agreement demonstrates our intention to collaborate with the leaders in the genomics field and leverage state-of-the-art technology to help patients and their families who are genetically underrepresented in the region.”
The study will begin before the end of 2022, and Illumina—a U.S. biotechnology company founded in 1998 and headquartered in California—will support the study by providing sequencing reagents and analytical tools for rapid whole-genome sequencing .
The study will include 200 children under the age of 18, including infants, and parents (for segregation analysis). All will be tested over the course of 24 months and half of the patients are expected to be Emirati.
Lead researcher Dr Ahmad Abou Tayoun, who led the Al Jalila Children’s study, said: “The results were primarily aimed at determining the impact of rapid whole-genome sequencing results on the clinical diagnosis and management of patients, including their length of stay, changes in management or treatment, additional interventions and eliminating additional diagnostic workload. Secondary objectives included assessing the cost impact of rWGS—for example, whether it would shorten hospital stays and eliminate some diagnostic or administrative workload.”
Al Jalila Children’s Genomics Center has been awarded CAP Accreditation, an accreditation that demonstrates that its laboratories operate to the highest standards of quality, accuracy and consistency. This state-of-the-art center offers genomic testing and counseling services for children and adults. Featuring diagnostic laboratories and a fully equipped clinic, the center, in addition to a board-certified team of precision medicine specialists, also provides specialized genetic counseling to the regional community to support patients, families and other physicians.
“We are pleased to partner with Al Jalila Children’s Specialized Hospital to demonstrate the value of rapid whole-genome sequencing in accelerating the time to definitive diagnosis and improving patient outcomes in critically ill children with suspected genetic disorders,” said Chief Susan Tousi. Commercial Officer at Illumina.
“We are committed to increasing genomics capabilities in the UAE – our recently opened Dubai Solutions Center houses the latest sequencing technology, providing additional support to our clients in the region as they bring genomic precision medicine to a growing number of patients .”
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