Emirati Scientific Innovation Achieves Global Patent Milestone in Regenerative Medicine

First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory (FSG) has announced a major Emirati scientific achievement following the filing of an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for an innovative technology designed to advance cardiac research and regenerative medicine.

“This patent milestone reflects our ambition to ensure that Emirati science contributes meaningfully to the future of global healthcare,” said Dr. Fatma Alhashimi, CEO of First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory. “Our goal is to develop innovations that address real medical challenges, strengthen the UAE’s position in advanced biomedical research, and create solutions that may improve the lives of future generations.”

The patent application, titled “Scalable Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Organoids,” represents an important milestone for UAE-based biomedical innovation and reflects FSG’s commitment to developing practical scientific solutions with international potential.

The invention has received a positive examination report from the Korean Intellectual Property Office, confirming that it meets the key patentability requirements of novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.

In simple terms, the innovation provides a scalable method for producing cardiac organoids — small, laboratory-grown models that imitate certain characteristics of human heart tissue. These models can help scientists study how heart diseases develop, understand how heart cells respond to different conditions, and evaluate potential treatments in a controlled research environment.

By enabling cardiac organoids to be produced on a larger and more consistent scale, the technology may support faster and more efficient research in cardiovascular disease, drug development, personalised medicine, and regenerative therapies.

This achievement does not represent a direct treatment or cure for heart disease. Instead, it provides researchers with an advanced scientific platform that could contribute to the development and evaluation of safer and more effective therapies in the future.

“This patent milestone reflects our ambition to ensure that Emirati science contributes meaningfully to the future of global healthcare,” said Dr. Fatma Alhashimi, CEO of First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory. “Our goal is to develop innovations that address real medical challenges, strengthen the UAE’s position in advanced biomedical research, and create solutions that may improve the lives of future generations.”

The innovation was developed through an international scientific collaboration between First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory in the United Arab Emirates and the Marga and Walter Boll Laboratory (MWBL) in Cologne, Germany, with the participation of Prof. Kurt Pfannkuche and Dr. Sarkawt Hamad. The partnership combined specialist expertise in stem cell science, cardiac tissue modelling, and regenerative medicine, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in advancing complex scientific research and translating laboratory discoveries into technologies with wider practical applications.

The scientific research supporting the innovation has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Theranostics, allowing researchers and healthcare professionals around the world to review the methodology and findings behind the patent application.

As the UAE continues to invest in advanced healthcare, life sciences, and medical research, this achievement highlights the growing contribution of UAE-based institutions to scientific progress and biomedical innovation.

About First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory

First Stem Cell & Genomics Laboratory (FSG) is a UAE-based biotechnology and advanced laboratory organisation providing commercial services and products across stem cell banking, genomics, genetic testing, consumer genomics, regenerative medicine, and other related areas of biotechnology.

Alongside its research activities and scientific collaborations, FSG provides a range of services and solutions for individuals, healthcare professionals, and organisations. By combining science, technology, innovation, and international collaboration, FSG aims to advance personalised healthcare and contribute to the future of life sciences in the UAE and beyond.