DoH And Abbott Collaborate To Localise Pharmaceutical Manufacturing In Abu Dhabi

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Abbott, a global healthcare leader, have formed a significant partnership. This collaboration was announced at the BIO International Convention in Boston, USA. The agreement focuses on localising pharmaceutical manufacturing in Abu Dhabi and enhancing digital health solutions. This initiative leverages Abu Dhabi’s advanced life sciences infrastructure to reduce import reliance and strengthen supply chain resilience.

Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, highlighted the emirate's readiness for local manufacturing and research. "Following the recent launch of the Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) Cluster in Abu Dhabi, the emirate proved to be equipped with a holistic, integrated infrastructure that fosters local manufacturing and R&D, positioning it as a regional healthcare gateway and leader in life sciences," she stated.

The partnership outlines four main areas: localisation of Abbott's pharmaceutical products, biosimilar development, digital transformation through electronic patient information leaflets, and education initiatives. These efforts aim to create a sustainable healthcare ecosystem in Abu Dhabi by reducing dependency on imports and improving healthcare outcomes.

Mazen Bachir, Regional Director for Abbott’s established pharmaceuticals business in the Gulf, Emerging Markets and Levant, expressed pride in this collaboration. "Abbott is proud to announce a strategic collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, aimed at advancing healthcare resilience and innovation in Abu Dhabi," he said. The partnership will focus on localising existing pharmaceutical products and exploring biosimilar development supported by regulatory alignment.

A high-level delegation led by DoH will visit the United States from 15th to 21st June 2025. This mission includes over 20 strategic meetings with public and private sector leaders across the US. The goal is to exchange knowledge, explore investment opportunities, and sign new agreements that promote advanced health solutions.

The delegation represents Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem with stakeholders like the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Mubadala BIO, M42, Masdar City, KEZAD, PureHealth, Etihad Cargo, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Khalifa University, startAD, and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).

Enhancing Digital Health Strategy

The collaboration also involves digitising life science product information through electronic leaflets. This aligns with the UAE’s digital health strategy. Additionally, education programs will be developed to build local capabilities. Abbott and DoH will explore joint research opportunities to enhance long-term healthcare sustainability in the UAE.

This partnership between DoH and Abbott marks a significant step towards fostering an agile healthcare ecosystem driven by innovation. By integrating strategic visions with expertise from both parties, they aim to accelerate innovative healthcare product development. This ensures breakthrough therapies reach patients faster while positioning Abu Dhabi as a regional leader in life sciences.

With inputs from WAM