Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Abu Dhabi is pursuing an ambitious strategy to strengthen its position in the global life sciences sector by combining government leadership with private sector investment and international collaboration. At BIO 2026, Pharmaceutical Executive spoke with H.E. Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health, about the emirate's vision for attracting innovation, expanding biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and building a globally connected healthcare economy.

Pharm Exec: Abu Dhabi has made significant progress in building its life sciences sector over the past several years. What have been some of the key milestones?

Dr. Al Ghaithi: From the beginning, we had a very clear vision to build a new operating model by intelligently integrating valuable assets and resources to create real-world impact at the population level. One of our major initiatives has been the Emirati Genome Program, and we have now sequenced nearly one million samples. That gives us a deep understanding of our population.

At the same time, we've strengthened our digital capabilities. We have genomic data, clinical data, AI, and clinical practice all connected within one system. That allows us to take a much more targeted approach to population health while helping us identify the right strategic partnerships.

Our priority is simple: to help people live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. Abu Dhabi has become what we call a living laboratory, where partners can validate innovations and translate discoveries into real-world healthcare solutions.

Pharm Exec: Partnerships seem to be central to that vision. What are you looking for in collaborators?

Dr. Al Ghaithi: No one can achieve this level of ambition alone. We actively seek partnerships from North America, Europe, China, Asia, and other regions, but we're looking for organizations whose priorities align with ours.

"Partnerships are at the heart of everything we do because no single organization can transform healthcare alone."

We're opening Abu Dhabi to these partners by providing access to our infrastructure, AI capabilities, and data so they can evaluate innovations in areas such as biotechnology, medical technology, drug discovery, and digital health. It's a mutually beneficial model because companies can validate solutions in a real-world environment while helping improve healthcare for our population.

The most successful life sciences ecosystems are those that can connect talent, research, investment, and implementation across borders. Through our partnership with Biocom, we are creating a direct bridge between Abu Dhabi’s intelligent life sciences ecosystem and one of the world’s leading centers of life sciences innovation. For innovators, researchers, and investors, this creates new opportunities to access Abu Dhabi's living lab for intelligent life sciences, where scientific discoveries can be translated into real-world impact faster and at scale.

Pharm Exec: What makes Abu Dhabi's model different from other life sciences hubs represented here at BIO?

Dr. Al Ghaithi: The biggest differentiator is that the system itself is innovative. Everything is connected. Data, research, regulation, policy, healthcare providers, and investment organizations all work together rather than operating in silos.

Our integrated digital platform connects hospitals and clinics, giving physicians a comprehensive view of patient information while allowing us to better understand population health risks. Combined with one of the world's most diverse genomic programs, that creates an environment where innovation can move much more quickly.

Pharm Exec: How is that integrated approach translating into industry growth?

Dr. Al Ghaithi: We're already seeing tangible results. Pharmaceutical companies are establishing manufacturing operations in Abu Dhabi to serve regional and global markets. Clinical trial activity has increased by 300% over the past two years, and we're building a trusted research environment that gives partners secure access to high-quality data supported by AI and advanced digital capabilities.

This isn't something we're hoping to achieve years from now. The infrastructure exists today, and we're focused on helping companies generate evidence, validate technologies, and bring innovations to patients faster.

Pharm Exec: Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Abu Dhabi's life sciences sector?

Dr. Al Ghaithi: We want Abu Dhabi to be recognized as a trusted global partner for life sciences innovation. By combining integrated data, AI, research, healthcare delivery, and international collaboration, we're creating an environment where discoveries can move efficiently from concept to real-world impact. That's the model we're continuing to build.