Global biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is to invest $50 million to carry out dozens of clinical trials in Abu Dhabi in a major partnership with one of the emirate's leading hospitals.
The company is joining forces with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in a long-term drive to address pressing healthcare challenges, with the first studies expected to start before the end of the year.
About 30 trials will be conducted in the emirate in the coming years, focusing on advancing treatment for patients with cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.
According to the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, cardiovascular disease is responsible for 34 per cent of all deaths in the country, highlighting the crucial need to strengthen medical care.
“The investment is around $50 million over the next few years," Iskra Reic, international executive vice president for AstraZeneca, told The National on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit this week.
"We have already finalised the feasibility work for six studies and are planning to start the first by the end of this year.”
Ms Reic said the initiative - which is being supported by Abu Dhabi's Department of Health - is poised to benefit patients and the wider medical community in the capital.
“The expansion of clinical research may allow more patients from here to be included in global clinical trials.
“It will expand and enhance the collection of data that is relevant to the local population and the local healthcare system.
“Equally, it will allow the local research community and healthcare professionals to be more connected and to become part of the global clinical research network. At the end of the day, it helps the researchers and it helps the patients.”
AstraZeneca also announced a global collaboration with Oracle. Its first programme, taking place in Abu Dhabi, will focus on hypertension care and clinical research with M42, using AI and real-world data to explore earlier diagnosis, clinical-trial recruitment and safety monitoring.
“All the partnerships we have signed today are related to two main things: how we can combine clinical development and healthcare expertise with AI and the opportunities that technology offers,” Ms Reic said.
“On one side, we want to improve patient outcomes. On the other, we want to support healthcare systems to become more sustainable and resilient.”
Ms Reic said the aim was to use available data and harness AI to identify diseases more quickly, enabling earlier intervention to improve patient care.
“If the early detection of hypertension proves to work, we will be able to identify patients who are at risk of developing hypertension much earlier,” she said.
“That means they will have an opportunity to receive treatment early and improve their outcomes. Both partnerships are very much focused on supporting local patients and the local healthcare system.”
Investing in health
Ms Reic said the UAE was an ideal partner for its projects due to its robust data collection, research network and the government's commitment to bolstering the health sector.
“The UAE is one of very few countries presently suited for these partnerships,” Ms Reic said.
“On one side, we have very well-connected medical records and Emirati genomic data. By using AI, that allows you to predict specific diseases.
“When you add very engaged and fast regulators, and a knowledgeable and committed clinical research and academic network, you have almost the perfect ecosystem to revolutionise this area.”
Earlier detection and treatment could improve outcomes for patients while making healthcare systems more financially sustainable, she said.
“By treating patients too late, we are not helping patients, and we are not helping the healthcare system from a sustainability and financing perspective,” Ms Reic said.
“If we intervene early and treat patients earlier, that will also help the healthcare system retain more funding for investment and innovation.”
The pharmaceutical industry’s role has changed as AI, health data and other technologies have developed, she said.
“The future is already here,” Ms Reic said. “Previously, from the pharmaceutical industry’s perspective, we looked at our business as developing and delivering medicines to patients. I would argue that today, and even more so in the future, that is not enough.
“As a responsible, innovative pharmaceutical company, you need to transform care for patients. You need to look at every step of the patient pathway to see how you can reduce the barriers and intervene earlier.”
She said collaboration between companies, governments, hospitals and research organisations was essential.
“Every stakeholder in a healthcare system should act, and we should act together,” she said.
“I don’t think any industry or organisation can change the healthcare system on its own. Bringing different industry players together with government and healthcare stakeholders actually makes a difference.”