King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) and Kopra Bio have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore a strategic collaboration advancing genetically engineered viral-vector therapeutics for solid tumors.
The collaboration begins with KB-516, Kopra Bio’s lead candidate, a replicating retrovirus that delivers an IL-15 super-agonist to convert immunologically ‘cold’ tumors into ‘hot’ immunogenic environments.
The signing took place at KFSHRC’s pavilion during the Global Health Exhibition 2025, with signatories Dr. Majid Alfayyadh, Chief Executive Officer of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, and Dr. Andrew Bartynski, Chief Executive Officer at Kopra Bio.
The MoU highlights the intent to explore a value-based partnership model that includes in-kind contributions from KFSHRC in exchange for equity participation at Kopra Bio. It also establishes a framework to progress IND-enabling studies, scale clinical-grade vector manufacturing, conduct regulatory submissions to the US FDA and the Saudi FDA, and initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in recurrent glioblastoma patients in the Kingdom, while laying the groundwork for technology transfer and capacity building in Saudi Arabia.
The three-year MoU provides a non-exclusive framework to translate next-generation oncology platforms from concept to clinic through coordinated scientific exchange, local skills development, and high-quality clinical execution across KFSHRC’s Centers of Excellence.
KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and fifteenth globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2025 and recognized by Brand Finance as the region’s most valuable healthcare brand. It is also listed among Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2025, Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and Best Specialized Hospitals 2026, reaffirming its leadership in innovation-driven care.
