Istanbul – Türkiye is set to establish the Middle East and North Africa’s first private CAR-T stem cell therapy center through a partnership involving Bahrain-based investment fund Investcorp, Chinese healthcare giant Lu Daopei Medical, and Florence Nightingale Hastaneleri.
The new center, to be located within the Florence Nightingale hospital network in Istanbul, will focus on Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, an advanced cellular immunotherapy that involves genetically modifying a patient’s own T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. The treatment is designed to target severe forms of leukemia, including pediatric cases.
The partnership was announced on Investcorp’s official website. The initiative is supported through Investcorp’s China Pre-IPO Healthcare Fund and marks a strategic expansion of advanced cellular immunotherapy beyond traditional hubs in the United States, Europe, and East Asia.
Founded by ‘Father of Hematology’ in China
Lu Daopei Medical was founded by Prof. Lu Daopei, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, widely regarded as the “father of hematology” in China. He performed Asia’s first hematopoietic stem cell transplant in 1964. The group is recognized as China’s leading hematology and bone marrow transplant network and operates five major hospital campuses across different cities in the country.
Investcorp previously acquired a stake in Lu Daopei Medical as part of its strategy to back high-growth medical platforms with international expansion potential.
Legacy of Investcorp Founder Nemir Kirdar
Investcorp was founded in 1982 by the late Nemir Kirdar, the billionaire nephew of former Istanbul governor and health minister Lütfi Kırdar.
Born in Kirkuk, Nemir Kirdar moved to Türkiye in the 1950s at his uncle’s invitation and studied at Robert College. After Lütfi Kırdar died during the Yassıada trials following his tenure as Health Minister in the government of Adnan Menderes, Kirdar relocated to the United States, where he rose to become vice president at Chase Manhattan Bank.
He later built Investcorp into a global investment powerhouse, gaining prominence for acquiring and revitalizing major brands such as Gucci and Tiffany & Co.. At one point, with a fortune estimated at $1.2 billion, Kirdar ranked among the wealthiest businessmen in the United Kingdom.
Investcorp entered the Turkish market in 2010, acquiring stakes in Tiryaki Agro and purchasing a 30 percent share in Orka Group, the parent company of Damat and Tween. Kirdar stepped down from his roles at Investcorp in 2015 and passed away in 2020.
The establishment of the CAR-T center in Istanbul signals Türkiye’s growing role as a regional hub for advanced medical treatments, particularly in oncology and hematology.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök