During Abu Dhabi’s fifth strategic mission to the US, led by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the emirate further strengthened its position as a global hub for intelligent life sciences, engaging in 22 strategic partnerships and agreements that expand collaboration across genomics, AI, advanced therapeutics, biotechnology, and precision medicine.
Spanning San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles, the delegation brought together more than 40 senior representatives from 16 government, healthcare, research and industry organisations, undertaking more than 30 strategic meetings and engagements and 15 site visits with leading global healthcare and life sciences organisations.
Abu Dhabi is building one of the world's most connected intelligent life sciences ecosystems, bringing together genomics, artificial intelligence, real-world evidence, advanced research infrastructure, agile regulation and clinical implementation within a single environment. This integrated approach is enabling the emirate to accelerate the journey from scientific discovery to population-level impact, strengthening its position as a global destination for life sciences innovation.
Her Excellency Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: "The future of life sciences will not be defined by discovery alone, but by how quickly discovery can be translated into meaningful impact for people and communities. Abu Dhabi has built a connected ecosystem where genomics, artificial intelligence, clinical research, regulation and healthcare delivery work together, enabling innovators to develop, validate and scale breakthrough technologies within a single environment.
“Our strategic mission to the United States demonstrates the power of global collaboration in advancing healthcare innovation. Through these partnerships, we are strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as a living lab for intelligent life sciences, accelerating scientific discovery and creating new opportunities to improve health outcomes for communities in the UAE and around the world."
Advancing Abu Dhabi's vision for precision medicine, DoH signed strategic collaborations with Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis and Eli Lilly to accelerate research into the genetic drivers of disease, expand AI-enabled genomics capabilities and advance innovation in obesity and Alzheimer's disease. Together, these partnerships reinforce Abu Dhabi's ambition to harness genomics, artificial intelligence and clinical excellence to transform healthcare from treatment to prediction, prevention and personalised care.
Further strengthening Abu Dhabi's AI-enabled life sciences ecosystem, M42 announced a strategic partnership between Abu Dhabi Biobank and BioTwin to expand Virtual Human Twin technology in the UAE, while Masdar City, M42, and Attentive Science launched Biosphere Labs, creating advanced laboratory infrastructure that accelerates biotechnology research, innovation and commercialisation.
Supporting the next generation of advanced therapies, Hub71 startup BioSapien has advanced to Phase 1 clinical trials, demonstrating the emirate's ability to support biotechnology companies from innovation through clinical translation.
The mission also reinforced Abu Dhabi's growing capabilities in advanced biomanufacturing and biologic medicines. Mubadala Bio signed a strategic agreement with Biosidus to expand access to biologic therapies through local manufacturing, strengthening regional healthcare resilience while accelerating access to advanced treatments.
To further strengthen international collaboration, DoH partnered with Biocom California to establish a strategic life sciences corridor between Abu Dhabi and California, creating new opportunities for research collaboration, investment, innovation and commercialisation between two of the world's fastest-growing life sciences ecosystems.
The mission also marked another major milestone in Abu Dhabi's advanced healthcare infrastructure through the announcement of a landmark collaboration between Abu Dhabi Biobank and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute to establish the Middle East's first Eye Bank in Abu Dhabi. The initiative will strengthen regional transplantation capabilities, reduce reliance on imported donor tissue and establish a new centre of excellence for ophthalmic research, education and sight-restoring care.
As a living lab for intelligent life sciences, Abu Dhabi continues to provide global partners with a unique ecosystem that accelerates the journey from discovery to implementation, advancing more predictive, preventive and personalised healthcare while shaping the future of life sciences for the benefit of communities worldwide.
A key enabler of this ecosystem is Abu Dhabi Investment Office's Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) Cluster, which connects research, investment, commercialisation, and healthcare implementation within a single environment. By bringing together innovators, researchers, investors and healthcare providers, HELM helps accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world impact.
Throughout the mission, the delegation engaged with US government entities, academic research institutions, biotechnology companies and industry leaders to explore collaboration opportunities across AI-enabled drug discovery, gene editing, gene therapies for rare and inherited diseases, healthy longevity and advanced therapeutics.
Representing the breadth of Abu Dhabi's health, investment and innovation ecosystem, DoH's high-level delegation to the US included stakeholders from Abu Dhabi Investment Office, M42, Hub71, New York University Abu Dhabi, Masdar City, Khalifa University, KEZAD, PureHealth, Mubadala Bio, Arcera, and the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi.
