The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Sanofi Partner to Advance Vaccine Innovation

23 Jun, 2026:

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, and Sanofi, a worldwide biopharma and vaccines leader, have signed an Memorandum of Understanding and intend to into an agreement to advance their partnership in vaccine innovation and to jointly explore the development of a Vaccine Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi. The collaboration would strengthen capabilities across AI-enabled vaccine discovery, mRNA research, clinical development and manufacturing, with the shared ambition of supporting regional and global preparedness for future public health challenges.

Operating within Abu Dhabi's Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) Cluster, the collaboration intends to bring together scientific research, clinical infrastructure, academic expertise, enabling regulation and advanced manufacturing within a single ecosystem. By connecting discovery, validation and implementation, the partnership aim to explore how to accelerate the translation of scientific breakthroughs into scalable health solutions.

Announced during BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, USA, the agreement builds on the strategic partnership established between DoH and Sanofi in 2025 and draws on Abu Dhabi's advanced integrated vaccine innovation ecosystem spanning discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialisation.

H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Through our partnership with Sanofi, we are bringing together AI, scientific research, clinical expertise, advanced manufacturing and enabling regulation within a single ecosystem designed to accelerate the journey from discovery to impact. This partnership reflects Abu Dhabi's commitment to creating an environment where innovators can build, test and scale solutions that improve lives, strengthen preparedness and advance health outcomes for communities around the world."

Baptiste de Clarens, General Manager Vaccines, Greater Gulf at Sanofi, said: “We are proud to deepen our collaboration with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi. Vaccine innovation today is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, by advances in mRNA science, and by new models that connect discovery, development and manufacturing. Through this agreement, we look forward to exploring with the Department of Health how these capabilities can be brought together to accelerate the journey from discovery to the patient, and to strengthen preparedness for the health challenges of tomorrow. It reflects Sanofi’s lasting commitment to Abu Dhabi and to the health of communities across the region and beyond.”

The centre’s capabilities will include AI-enabled vaccine discovery and design, immunology, clinical development, mRNA research and clinical manufacturing. The planned Vaccine Innovation Centre is expected to strengthen Abu Dhabi's contribution to global health security while supporting the development of local scientific talent, advanced manufacturing capabilities and next-generation vaccine innovation. Through the advancement of vaccine research, development and manufacturing capabilities in the region, the centre will help expand access to advanced vaccines and strengthen preparedness for future public health challenges.

The announcement forms part of Abu Dhabi's participation at BIO International Convention 2026, where the emirate is showcasing its intelligent life sciences ecosystem and partnerships across genomics, gene editing, AI-enabled health innovation, advanced therapeutics and rare disease.

Representing the breadth of Abu Dhabi's health, investment and innovation ecosystem, DoH's high-level delegation to the United States includes stakeholders from Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), M42, Hub71, New York University Abu Dhabi, Masdar City, Khalifa University, KEZAD, Hub71, PureHealth, Mubadala Bio, Arcera and Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi.

A key enabler of the emirates intelligent life sciences ecosystem is Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s (ADIO) Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) Cluster, which connects research, investment, commercialisation and healthcare implementation within a single ecosystem. By bringing together innovators, investors, industry and healthcare stakeholders, HELM helps translate scientific discovery into real-world impact more efficiently and at greater scale.