Dubai team stops infant seizures within 30 minutes using experimental treatment

A medical team in Dubai stopped a newborn’s severe epilepsy seizures within 30 minutes of the first dose of an experimental drug, after genetic testing identified the rare cause. The case highlights how Dubai’s health regulators, a local hospital and a drug authority worked together to deliver a non-commercial treatment without sending the child abroad.

Why it matters: - The case shows how Dubai’s health system can fast-track experimental care for rare and complex conditions while keeping regulatory oversight in place. - The infant avoided traveling outside the UAE for treatment. - The case underscores the value of early genetic diagnosis for rare neurological disorders.

What happened: - A medical team in Dubai stopped seizures in an infant with an extremely rare genetic disease after the first dose of an experimental treatment. - The child, Adnan, had been experiencing about 110 seizures a day. - The first dose was given on 14 September 2026. - Seizures stopped within 30 minutes of the dose, according to the treating team. - Adnan was discharged from hospital on 21 September 2026. - The hospital reported no clinical seizures after discharge and noted progress in growth and development. - The latest follow-up mentioned in the release was on 11 October 2026. - According to the developer of the treatment, Adnan is the youngest patient in the world to receive the experimental drug ABS-1230 and the second infant worldwide to get it.

The details: - The infant’s seizures began in the first days after birth and worsened despite prior care. - The care team used advanced genetic testing, including whole-genome sequencing, to identify the disease-causing genetic change. - The medical team led by Prof. Obeid Shah, consultant in pediatric neurology and epilepsy treatment at King’s College Hospital London - Dubai, selected ABS-1230. - ABS-1230 is an oral experimental medicine that targets abnormal activity in an ion channel linked to this rare type of epilepsy. - The drug is still under international clinical study and has not been approved for commercial use. - The outcome in this single case cannot be generalized to other patients. - Because the treatment was experimental, the hospital prepared the medical file for an “compassionate use” request. - The Emirates Drug Establishment reviewed the request and issued the relevant regulatory approval. - Dubai Health facilitated coordination among the relevant entities and helped complete the procedures. - The hospital handled the clinical side, secured the drug and administered it to the child. - The treatment reached Dubai within weeks of the request, after the required medical and regulatory steps were completed.

Between the lines: - The case reflects a broader push in Dubai to combine advanced care, regulation and speed for rare-disease patients. - The release frames the episode as a model of coordination between federal, local and private-sector health entities. - The result also points to the growing role of precision medicine in matching treatment to a specific genetic cause. - The child’s response is encouraging, but the hospital says continued monitoring is needed to assess durability and possible side effects.

What’s next: - The hospital will continue multidisciplinary follow-up, including pediatric neurology, brain activity monitoring, heart health, growth and development assessments. - Doctors will keep tracking whether the seizure control is sustained. - The team will continue to monitor for any potential effects of the experimental treatment. - Prof. Shah said the team will keep following the child closely and urged parents to seek medical advice if they notice possible seizure symptoms in children. - The case is expected to remain a reference point for early genetic testing and access to advanced therapies in Dubai.

The bottom line: - Dubai regulators and clinicians moved an experimental epilepsy treatment from request to bedside in weeks, and the infant’s seizures stopped within 30 minutes of the first dose.