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The UAE is establishing key building blocks for expanded biopharma activity across the Middle East through targeted national investments in genomics, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, a report issued by the World Health Expo in partnership with Frost & Sullivan stated on October 7, 2026. The exclusive analysis forecasts precision medicine to achieve growth of 10 to 12 percent in the region over the coming five to seven years, aligning with patterns observed in developed markets. This expansion forms part of a connected ecosystem that integrates genomics, next-generation therapies, AI-driven drug discovery and localised production capabilities.
Abu Dhabi’s Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine cluster stands as a flagship element in this strategy. The HELM initiative is expected to draw more than AED 42 billion in investments by 2045, add over AED 94 billion to the emirate’s gross domestic product and support the creation of approximately 30,000 jobs, according to the Frost & Sullivan assessment. These projections illustrate the scale at which the UAE is committing resources to transition from oil-based economics toward knowledge-driven sectors including life sciences.
The Emirati Genome Program, which seeks to sequence one million genetic samples from the national population, provides foundational data for precision approaches to disease prevention and treatment. Complementing this effort, the UAE Reference Genome study has processed more than 50,000 samples to date while developing supporting infrastructure for ongoing research, the report detailed. In 2025, Insilico Medicine’s centre in Abu Dhabi nominated the country’s first AI-discovered preclinical candidates targeting oncology and non-opioid pain management, marking a milestone in local innovation capacity.
Frost & Sullivan valued the Middle East and Africa pharmaceutical market at $58.66 billion in 2025, equivalent to 3.6 percent of the global total. Aarti Chitale of Frost & Sullivan noted that expanding local genomic datasets would allow regional players to create therapies and disease models specifically calibrated to Middle Eastern populations rather than depending on externally developed solutions. The report highlighted the 2025 establishment of Mubadala Bio as further evidence of prioritising domestic drug manufacturing.
The World Health Expo plans to introduce a dedicated Pharma Zone at its 2027 edition to foster connections between biopharma companies, investors and commercial partners. This new feature builds directly on the momentum described in the analysis by facilitating collaborations that can accelerate technology transfer and market access. Such platforms are viewed as essential for translating research investments into tangible healthcare advancements across the region.
Strategy& Middle East has separately estimated that Saudi Arabia and the UAE together could secure more than 60 percent of the projected $1.2 billion MENA genomics market by 2027 through continued focus on omics technologies. Emergen Research projected the Middle East precision medicine market to expand from $3.5 billion in 2025 to $10.2 billion by 2035 at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5 percent. The combined effect positions the Middle East to play a larger role in global biopharma value chains.
