Chris El Kik – first patient to receive DMD treatment

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We made history as the first hospital in Qatar and the fifth hospital worldwide to administer Elevidys, a revolutionary gene therapy medication for treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).  The medication was administered to Chris El Kik, a young international patient from Lebanon who became the first recipient of the drug in Qatar.

DMD is the most common form of inherited muscle disorders. It primarily affects males, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 3,500 live male births. Children with DMD typically appear normal at birth, but between the ages of two and three, begin to exhibit developmental delays, particularly in their motor skills and experience difficulties with walking, talking, jumping, or climbing stairs.

Elevidys is currently the only gene therapy medication available for treating DMD. It works by delivering a functional dystrophin gene into the muscle and heart cells. The process slows disease progression and enhances muscle function.

The drug was secured through Ebn Sina Medical, a local agent for Roche Pharmaceuticals, which is responsible for making Elevidys. It was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2024, for a wide range of DMD patients, including children aged four and older.

Chris, an international DMD patient, traveled with his family from Lebanon to Qatar.

Through collaborations with international pharmaceutical partners like Roche Pharmaceuticals, Sidra Medicine continues to demonstrate its ability to offer the most advanced treatments to patients from all over the region and beyond.

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At Sidra Medicine, Elevidys has only been administered to carefully selected patients who met strict eligibility criteria, including approved age and weight ranges. As of 19 June 2025, Sidra Medicine is not administering Elevidys for non-ambulatory patients with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The treatment protocol will only be administered to ambulatory DMD patients, who undergo thorough pre and post assessment and follow-up.

The safety and well-being of all our patients is our top priority. If you have any questions about our DMD treatment protocol, please email: genetherapyteam@sidra.org.