DUBAI, 24th August, 2026 (WAM) -- World Health Expo (WHX) will expand its focus on pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, longevity and wellness at its 2027 edition, highlighting growth and investment opportunities across some of healthcare's fastest-growing sectors.
Taking place from 25th to 28th January 2027 across Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City and Dubai World Trade Centre, WHX will provide a platform for investment, innovation and partnerships shaping these industries.
The expansion comes amid significant healthcare investment across the GCC. According to PwC Middle East, regional healthcare expenditure is projected to reach US$159 billion by 2029, while more than 160 healthcare projects valued at around $53.2 billion are underway.
The global longevity economy is projected to reach $5.4 trillion by 2034, growing by around six to seven percent annually, according to Bank of Singapore. The UAE's longevity market is estimated to reach $32 billion this year, up from $19 billion in 2020, according to the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
The global prescription medicine market reached around $1.7 trillion in 2025, increasing ten percent year-on-year, according to IQVIA. Pharmaceutical sales in the Middle East and Africa rose 18 percent, the highest growth among the regions analysed.
Solenne Singer, Senior Vice President – Healthcare at inD, said, "Healthcare investment is expanding rapidly into pharmaceuticals, biotech, longevity and wellness, marking a fundamental shift in where the industry sees future value."
She added that WHX would bring together organisations developing, funding, regulating and implementing next-generation healthcare, connecting these growing sectors with the wider healthcare ecosystem and global investors.
The new Longevity and Wellness sectors will focus on prevention, healthy ageing, precision health and wellness, reflecting the increasing emphasis on preventing disease and extending the number of years people spend in good health.
The Healthspan Stage at Dubai World Trade Centre will host a four-day Longevity and Wellness programme bringing together government leaders, healthcare providers, medical societies and researchers to discuss preventive and metabolic health, the science of ageing, wearable and diagnostic data and evidence-based longevity healthcare.
The new Pharma sector will bring together pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology innovators, manufacturers, researchers, investors and healthcare organisations.
Dubai ranked first globally for greenfield foreign direct investment projects in life sciences in 2025, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, based on Financial Times fDi Markets data. Dubai Science Park is also home to more than 90 laboratories and 6,500 professionals.
Across the GCC, Saudi Arabia's National Biotechnology Strategy aims to establish the Kingdom as the leading biotechnology hub in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030, with biotechnology targeted to contribute more than $34.6 billion to non-oil GDP by 2040.
WHX will also showcase the biotechnology ecosystem through its Biotech and Life Sciences Forum, bringing together pharmaceutical leaders, biotechnology companies, regulators, researchers and investors to examine areas ranging from genomics and precision medicine to clinical trials, biomanufacturing and patient access.
Another addition to WHX 2027 will be the Connections Programme, a week-long networking initiative across two dedicated lounges featuring theme-led group sessions for the healthcare community.
WHX 2027, part of World Healthcare Week alongside WHX Tech and WHX Leaders, is expected to attract more than 90,000 unique attendees and 4,200 exhibitors, with representatives from more than 195 countries.