The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi joins AstraZeneca’s A.Catalyst network to attract and support start-ups globally

15 Jun, 2022:

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, joined the A.Catalyst network as a result of the Declaration of Collaboration recently signed with AstraZeneca. The partnership highlights DoH’s commitment to enhancing digital healthcare in the emirate and improving patient experience and outcomes. In an effort to attract leading international healthcare start-ups to Abu Dhabi, DoH seeks to expand collaboration with AstraZeneca to cocreate an innovative ecosystem equipped with an advanced infrastructure.

Witnessed by HE Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), and Hicham Mirghani, Corporate Affairs Director,the agreement was signed by Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Directror, Research and Innovation Centre at DoH and Ghaleb Al Ahdab, Government Affairs Associate Director, Gulf at AstraZeneca, during the BIO International Convention 2022 which took place between June 13-16 in San Diego, California, U.S. An Abu Dhabi delegation is participating to showcase the domestic growth and economic development of Abu Dhabi’s biotechnology industry.

Over the years, Abu Dhabi has built an efficient healthcare ecosystem by combining state-of-the-art facilities with the latest technology to innovate care delivery across the emirate. By joining hands with AstraZeneca’s A.Catalyst network, DoH will be able to leverage the network’s expertise which comprises of over 20 global health innovation hubs made up of physical locations and virtual partnerships. The network focuses on bringing innovation to disease awareness, diagnostics, treatment wellness, and well-being to create a more holistic patient experience.

In recent years, the Department has announced that Abu Dhabi’s healthcare start-ups have generated an estimated economic impact of AED 200 million. DoH’s efforts in supporting local and global start-ups, over the past two years, have resulted in the creation of over 215 jobs in Abu Dhabi and have raised over AED 160 million in funds.

Furthermore, DoH has been supporting start-ups to create an innovative healthcare ecosystem. Healthcare start-ups have contributed to the improvement of the healthcare system in Abu Dhabi through building a knowledge-based economy. A total of 16% of new start-ups have provided innovative solutions and ideas that helped improve financial efficiency in the healthcare sector. An additional 38% of start-ups have contributed by introducing tools to maximise access to healthcare facilities. Moreover, an average of 46% of start-ups are focused on enhancing the quality of care across the various operations of the healthcare sector.

Powered by a solid infrastructure, and an advanced healthcare ecosystem, investment opportunities across the biopharmaceutical and healthcare value chain in Abu Dhabi continue to emerge as a result of the sector’s robust growth potential. Through international collaborations, Abu Dhabi seeks to lead research groups supported by global partners to explore the resilience and sustainability of the healthcare sector worldwide as well as provide quality care to patients.

Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director, Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Through this partnership, Abu Dhabi is further solidifying its position as a life sciences hub by focusing on healthcare innovation. At  DoH, we are committed to bringing innovation to healthcare systems in the UAE. We think it is essential to link to the global innovation hubs around the world , fo accelerate innovative discoveries with the aim of revolutionising healthcare in the UAE and beyond.”

The areas of collaboration between DoH and AstraZeneca include the development of an overall framework of the joint partnership between A. Catalyst and the Abu Dhabi innovation ecosystem to build a knowledge-based economy. The partnership will support in embedding an entrepreneurial mindset in the UAE youth, building skills and capabilities to lead and spearhead the future of life sciences in Abu Dhabi and the world.

The Declaration of Collaboration will see both parties work hand in hand to boost the readiness of Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem and expand research efforts related to diagnostics, drugs and devices through capacity and capability building.

Hicham Mirghani, Corporate Affairs Director, AstraZeneca, highlighted: “AstraZeneca is a key strategic partner to the DoH, working jointly to develop a digital healthcare system and pushing efforts to innovate solutions in a variety of health fields such as diagnostics, devices, digital health, drug development, biotech, and pharmaceutical sectors, which together contribute to meeting the healthcare sector’s demand. We believe through this collaboration, the DoH will be able to further strengthen and future-proof health systems across the whole patient journey.”

Furthermore, the A. Catalyst network acts as a bridge that brings together diverse stakeholders to forge non-traditional partnerships across geographical boundaries, facilitating collaborative action and opening new opportunities to enhance patient-enabled innovation.

Headed by HE Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), a high-profile Abu Dhabi delegation comprised of government officials is visiting the United States of America this month to explore prospects of joint collaboration within the framework of healthcare at large and life science in specific.

The visit is expected to see meetings and agreement signings with leading partners to explore and activate collaborations in life science and real-world evidence, digital health, research and development, supply chain and many other areas. The visit aims to lay down sustainable mechanisms that empower the healthcare sector in both countries as well as showcase Abu Dhabi’s distinguished healthcare ecosystem.

The Abu Dhabi delegation to US witnesses the participation of seven key entities representing Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector including the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Mubadala Health, G42, Abu Dhabi Ports, ADQ, Etihad Cargo and Pure Health.