DUBAI, 7th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The UAE is laying the foundations for the Middle East’s next phase of biopharma growth, with national investment in genomics, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing reshaping how medicines are discovered, developed and produced across the region.
This is according to “From Discovery to Delivery: The Technologies Reshaping Global Biopharma”, the first in a new series of exclusive reports by World Health Expo (WHX) in partnership with Frost & Sullivan.
The report forecasts growth of more than 10 percent for precision medicine in the Middle East over the next five to seven years, following a growth trajectory similar to developed markets.
The findings point to an increasingly connected regional biopharma ecosystem spanning genomics, next-generation therapies, AI-enabled drug development and local manufacturing.
The scale of investment already underway across the UAE is driving this shift. The Emirati Genome Program aims to collect one million genetic samples nationwide, while the UAE Reference Genome study is analysing more than 50,000 genome samples and building infrastructure to support disease prevention, precision treatments and healthcare research.
Abu Dhabi’s Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) cluster is projected to attract more than AED42 billion (US$11.5 billion) in investment, contribute over AED94 billion (US$25.6 billion) to Abu Dhabi’s GDP and create approximately 30,000 jobs by 2045. Spanning biotechnology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, genomics and AI, the cluster reflects the UAE’s ambitions to develop capabilities across the biopharma value chain.
The report said localisation of pharmaceutical manufacturing is also becoming a strategic priority, highlighting the launch of Mubadala Bio in 2025 to strengthen local manufacturing and pharmaceutical logistics in the UAE.
The UAE is also progressing in AI-driven drug discovery and precision medicine. In 2025, Insilico Medicine’s Abu Dhabi centre nominated the UAE’s first fully AI-discovered preclinical candidates for oncology and non-opioid pain, completing discovery workflows in under 12 months.
Further strengthening the emirate’s research capabilities, a June 2026 partnership between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Boehringer Ingelheim aims to harness Abu Dhabi’s growing genomics infrastructure to advance precision-medicine research. Frost & Sullivan expects expanding local patient databases to create further opportunities for regional and local disease modelling and drug discovery over the next 10 to 15 years.
Aarti Chitale, Industry Principal, Healthcare & Lifesciences Growth Analytics at Frost & Sullivan, said, “The biopharma industry is moving towards an increasingly connected model in which precision medicine, AI and advanced manufacturing reinforce one another across the development lifecycle. In the Middle East, and particularly in the UAE, the foundations for that transition are already being built through investment in genomics, digital infrastructure, localisation and global partnerships.”
She added, “The region’s expected double-digit growth in precision medicine over the next five to seven years is particularly significant. As local genomic and patient datasets grow, countries can move beyond adopting technologies developed elsewhere to building homegrown research capabilities, therapies and disease models that better reflect the unique characteristics of regional populations.”
Frost & Sullivan analysis values the Middle East and Africa pharmaceutical market at US$58.66 billion in 2025, accounting for 3.6 percent of the global pharmaceutical market.
The report identifies healthcare reforms and national strategies around biotechnology, AI, digital infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing as significant drivers of the region’s future growth.
Solenne Singer, Senior Vice President, Healthcare at inD, said, “The findings demonstrate why biopharma has become such an important part of the healthcare growth story in the UAE and the wider Middle East. The UAE is bringing together many of the capabilities required to compete in the next phase of the industry.”
The report comes as WHX expands its focus on the industries driving healthcare growth. The new Pharma Zone at WHX 2027 will sit alongside the new Biotech Zone and Longevity and Wellness Zone, connecting pharmaceutical manufacturers, contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs), suppliers, distributors, technology providers and commercial partners to support pharmaceutical development, production and market access.
Exhibitors in the Pharma and Biotech Zone at WHX 2027 include Aculife, Biosynth, Brooks Pharma Private Limited, Dishman Carbogen Amcis and ProPharma, bringing together pharmaceutical companies from across the industry and enabling them to connect with healthcare buyers, distributors and potential commercial partners.
Taking place from 25th to 28th January 2027 across Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai and Dubai World Trade Centre, WHX is expected to bring together more than 90,000 attendees, 4,200 exhibitors and representatives from over 195 countries.
WHX forms part of World Healthcare Week, alongside WHX Tech and WHX Leaders, connecting healthcare trade, digital health and leadership in one city at the same time.