Vivan Therapeutics, part of Hub71 and a precision oncology company developing AI-enabled tools to match cancer patients to more effective therapies, today announced that it has received all regulatory approvals, to commence its clinical registration study of TuMatch at Burjeel Cancer Institute, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi.
The study marks a significant milestone for the company as it advances the clinical application of its AI-enabled precision oncology technology in Abu Dhabi.
The prospective study will evaluate TuMatch, Vivan’s clinical decision support software, in patients with colorectal cancer. It will be led by Prof. Humaid Al Shamsi, at Burjeel Cancer Institute, and will enroll at least 10 patients at the Abu Dhabi site.
Alongside clinical outcomes, the study is designed to capture health economics and value-based care data — evidence intended to support reimbursement discussions with payers and to inform how AI-enabled decision support is adopted across the UAE health system. Approval marks one of the first regulatory clearances in the Emirate for a study of this class of software in oncology.
TuMatch analyses a patient’s tumour genomic profile against Vivan’s proprietary drug-response dataset, generated using an in vivo Drosophila “avatar” screening platform developed with Mount Sinai Medical Center, together with published clinical evidence. The output is a ranked set of therapeutic options for the treating oncologist, aimed at patients who have exhausted or are unlikely to benefit from standard-of-care regimens.
Dr Nahuel Villegas, Chief Scientific Officer, Vivan Therapeutics said: “Colorectal cancer is notoriously hard to treat, and particularly challenging for patients with activating KRAS mutations, who often have no effective standard-of-care options left. Our technology brings an ultra-personalised, genomics-matched approach into the clinic, giving each patient a tailored path built on their own tumour biology, and a real shotat a better outcome.”
Prof. Humaid Al Shamsi, CEO, Burjeel Cancer Institute said: “Colorectal cancer remains a significant clinical challenge in our region, and for many patients, difficult decisions arise when standard treatment options have been exhausted. At Burjeel,we are committed to bringing innovative technologies and advanced decision-support tools to the UAE that can help physicians identify new possibilities and guide more personalized treatment strategies. Our goal is to ensure that patients can benefit from advancesin precision oncology as they emerge globally.”
Colorectal cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the UAE and frequently presents at a younger age or later stage than in Western populations, creating a significant need for improved treatment selection in advanced disease.
The Abu Dhabi-based study forms part of Vivan’s broader clinical programme, which includes a planned multicentre study in pancreatic and other GI cancers with sites in Europe and the GCC. Data from these studies will support the company’s CE mark and FDA submissionsfor TuMatch™.
Laura Towart, Vivan Founder & CEO states: “This approval takes TuMatch from a validated platform to a tool being used in live clinical decision-making. The evidence we generate will underpin our regulatory and reimbursement pathway well beyond the UAE.”
The milestone reflects the growing role of Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem in advancing AI-driven healthcare solutions from development towards clinical application. Through Hub71, technology startups such as Vivan Therapeutics are part of an ecosystem designedto foster collaboration, accelerate innovation and support the development of globally relevant solutions from Abu Dhabi.
