- A new white paper by Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi examines how genomics, clinical research, regulation, and specialist care can be connected to turn scientific advances into measurable patient outcomes.
- Original Strategy& analysis finds that cell and gene therapies and RNA/DNA therapeutics are forecast to grow approximately seven- to eight-fold from their current base, while established therapeutic approaches are expected to remain the largest markets through 2033.
- The white paper identifies four priorities: precision clinical trials, clearer managed-access pathways, therapeutic capabilities in selected areas, and reusable long-term evidence.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 21 October 2026 – Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi has released a new white paper in collaboration with Knowledge Contributor Strategy& Middle East, part of the PwC network, setting out four priorities for connecting the Emirate’s capabilities in genomics, health data, clinical research, regulation, and specialist care to translate therapeutic innovation into patient care.
Titled The Future of Therapeutics: How Abu Dhabi can help translate the next generation of science into patient care, itexamines how health and life-sciences ecosystems can translate scientific advances into therapies that can be developed, validated, and delivered reliably to patients. It highlights Abu Dhabi’s growing capabilities across population genomics, biobanking, longitudinal health data, clinical research, regulation, and specialist care, and explores how these assets can be more closely connected around selected therapeutic programmes.
Original Strategy& analysis developed for the white paper shows that established approaches such as small-molecule and antibody-based medicines are expected to remain the largest therapeutic markets through 2033, while cell and gene therapies and RNA/DNA therapeutics are forecast to grow approximately seven- to eight-fold from current levels. The findings support a selective, disease-led approach to building therapeutic capabilities.
The white paper describes how genomics, multi-omics and artificial intelligence are helping researchers understand the mechanisms driving disease and identify more precisely defined patient groups. Published research cited in the paper found that mechanisms supported by human genetic evidence were approximately 2.6 times as likely to succeed in clinical development as those without such support, illustrating the potential value of grounding drug development in human biology.
It also finds that increasingly precise therapies place new demands on the systems surrounding them. Smaller, biologically defined patient populations may require new trial designs, specialist clinical infrastructure, coordinated regulation and access, and evidence that continues to be collected after treatment.
H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Scientific advances are changing what is possible in medicine, giving us new ways to understand disease and develop increasingly precise treatments. The opportunity now is to ensure that this progress can be translated into therapies that deliver meaningful outcomes for patients. Abu Dhabi has built strong foundations across genomics, health data, clinical research, and specialist care. By connecting these capabilities more closely and working with leading partners globally, we can create a clearer path from scientific discovery to patient care, helping promising therapies reach the patients who can benefit while continuing to build the evidence that will shape the future of treatment.”
What distinguishes Abu Dhabi is not simply the scale of its genomic programme, but its ability to turn population-specific genomic variation into clinical action by connecting genomic and biobank data with longitudinal health records, trial infrastructure and specialist care. Progress will ultimately be measured by whether those insights lead to better target discovery, more precise patient identification and improved outcomes. This opportunity is reinforced by the region’s historical underrepresentation in clinical research.
Irfan Merali, Partner, Strategy& Middle East, said: “The next wave of therapeutics is becoming increasingly precise, from how we understand disease to how patients are identified, treated and followed over time. Abu Dhabi’s opportunity lies in building on its strengths in health data, clinical research and specialist care to attract and support companies working in genomics and advanced therapeutics, creating a more seamless path from scientific discovery to patient impact.”
Looking ahead, the four priority areas through which Abu Dhabi can build on these foundations featured in the white paper include: expanding precision clinical trials using genomic and longitudinal health data; creating clearer managed-access pathways so appropriate patients can access innovation while further evidence is collected; deepening therapeutic capabilities in areas where Abu Dhabi has scientific or clinical strength; and ensuring that long-term patient outcomes can inform future clinical guidance, reimbursement and research.
The publication forms part of Future Health’s Abu Dhabi Blueprints series, sharing research and practical approaches to shape the future of health.
About Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi
Future Health is a year-round platform for global collaboration and transformative health innovation, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
Bringing together health researchers, policymakers, business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from across disciplines and geographies, Future Health drives collective action to strengthen health systems and unlock longer, healthier lives for all.
Through a year-round programme of research insights, publications, impact initiatives, Challenges, R&D funding, and cross-sector convenings, Future Health advances progress across four focus areas: longevity and precision medicine, health systems and sustainability, digital health and AI, and investment in life sciences.
Future Health is curated and convened by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and its Founding Partners PureHealth, M42, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi, and Mubadala Bio. Mediclinic Middle East serves as Strategic Partner and Burjeel Holdings as Associate Partner.
For more information, visit www.futurehealthinitiative.ae and follow Future Health on: X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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