Analysis Tech Humanoid robots: coming soon to a workplace near you Nursing, tourism and leisure, even performing arts, and anything dull, dangerous and dirty: the technology world is increasingly bullish on what humanoid robots can do. Humanoid robots are already greeting visitors at Dubai’s Museum of the Future and patrolling the emirate’s beaches, handing out fines and monitoring the use of scooters and bicycles. Jensen Huang, […] June 12, 2025
Health Secret records found of alleged NMC fraud, court told Administrators for Abu Dhabi-based NMC Health found internal “cheat sheets” showing the true condition of the company’s finances and detailing “significant payments” to people including founder BR Shetty, a UK court has heard. NMC collapsed in 2020 with debts exceeding £3 billion ($4.1 billion). Administrator Alvarez & Marsal is suing big four accountancy firm EY […] June 10, 2025
Analysis Health Healthy prognosis for Turkish medical tourism Turkey is looking to build on its already strong health tourism sector in the coming years, reaching out to new markets and offering a broader range of products to attract more foreign visitors seeking affordable treatment at a high standard. Last year, Turkish medical and wellness facilities provided treatment and care to 1.5 million overseas […] June 9, 2025
Health SMC receives $32bn in bids as IPO price is finalised Specialized Medical Company (SMC), which operates two hospitals in Riyadh, will raise SAR1.9 billion ($506 million) from its listing on the Saudi stock exchange. The final offer price was set at SAR25 per share, the top end of the previously announced initial public offering (IPO) price range. The market capitalisation at listing will stand at […] June 5, 2025
Health Egypt targets local pharma production to slash imports Egyptian pharmaceutical companies are reportedly planning to increase their production capacity to reduce annual imports of $3 billion. The companies are due to add 20 new production lines this year by investing EGP4 billion ($80 million) to support local production, Ashraq Business, an Arabic financial portal, reported, citing Gamal El-Leithy, head of the pharmaceutical chamber […] May 30, 2025
Exclusive Health Globalpharma seeks early lead in race for Ozempic alternatives Globalpharma, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Investments, is laying the groundwork to manufacture generic versions of blockbuster drugs such as Ozempic, positioning itself ahead of potential patent expiries and shifting regulatory frameworks. The UAE drugmaker is exploring partnerships to develop peptide-based injectables using off-patent precursors – drug ingredients that are no longer […] May 29, 2025
Health Quadria commits 25% from $1bn healthcare fund to GCC Quadria Capital, a Singapore-based healthcare-focused private equity company, plans to allocate up to a quarter of its latest $1 billion fund to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “In the GCC, we intend to deploy capital across healthcare infrastructure such as hospitals and clinics, biopharma, diagnostics and digital health,” Quadria Capital partner Sunil Thakur told AGBI […] May 28, 2025
Health Abu Dhabi seeks bids for studies of indoor air quality Abu Dhabi is seeking proposals from research companies, consultancies and academic institutions to study the health impact of indoor air pollution, as the emirate plans to draft new evidence-based public health policies. The Abu Dhabi Public Health Center has invited bids to develop research to quantify the health burden of indoor air pollution and propose […] May 22, 2025
Health Mubadala Bio launches to bolster UAE drug security Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi’s $330 billion sovereign wealth fund, has launched a dedicated life sciences unit as part of a broader strategy to boost domestic pharmaceutical production, improve healthcare resilience and support the UAE’s economic diversification efforts. The new entity, Mubadala Bio, will oversee a portfolio of 10 manufacturing facilities across Asia, Africa, and […] May 20, 2025
Health NMC’s BR Shetty fails to overturn $33m DIFC court ruling BR Shetty has lost his bid to appeal against a $33 million judgment by the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts in a case linked to the collapse of the company he founded, NMC Health. In the ruling made public this month, Chief Justice Wayne Martin dismissed Shetty’s request to challenge the judgment in favour of […] May 12, 2025
Health ADIO expands US office in health sector push The state-backed Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), which aims to attract inward investment into the UAE capital, is expanding its US operations to secure new funds for the local health sector. The expansion of the San Francisco office will support Abu Dhabi’s clinical validation and regulatory advancement in the healthcare and other priority sectors, state-run […] May 9, 2025
Analysis Health Digital health innovators expand in Saudi Arabia A fast-growing population with high rates of lifestyle diseases is making Saudi Arabia an attractive market for healthcare providers. The median age is steadily increasing while the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes remains high. “All these conditions necessitate medical intervention,” says Tara Rampal, founder of Quest Prehab, a London-based company that provides “prehabilitation” services through […] May 6, 2025
Health US biotech seeks Saudi approval for cancer treatment US-listed biotech company CEL-SCI Corp plans to file for regulatory approval in Saudi Arabia for its experimental cancer treatment Multikine, part of a push to tap growing demand for advanced treatments and expand in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). The Virginia-headquartered company, which develops immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases, is also in […] April 25, 2025
EXCLUSIVE Real Estate Dubai Investments plans IPO before year end, says CEO Dubai Investments is preparing to sell shares in four subsidiaries to the public and may list one of them before the year end, its CEO Khalid bin Kalban has told AGBI. The government-backed company manages AED22.1 billion ($6 billion) of assets in the UAE and beyond, in sectors including real estate, construction and building materials […] April 22, 2025
Health Abu Dhabi launches life sciences business cluster Abu Dhabi has launched a new cluster targered at the life sciences sector, bringing together global companies focused on the preventative care, drug efficacy and human longevity industries. Abu Dhabi’s clusters are groupings of related businesses and insititutions that work together to improve collaboration and share infrastructure. The health, endurance, longevity and medicine (Helm) cluster, […] April 16, 2025
Analysis Manufacturing Jordan’s surging pharma industry may hit US tariff speedbump Growing Gulf spending on health is boosting Jordan’s pharmaceutical industry, but new US tariffs pose a risk to its future, according to analysts. Pharmaceutical exports from Jordan grew by 15 percent last year to $862 million. Another 11 percent growth was projected for this year and further expansion to $1.4 billion in 2029, according to […] April 10, 2025
Markets Hospital operator SMC given approval for Saudi IPO Specialized Medical Company (SMC), which operates two hospitals in Riyadh, has received approval from Saudi Arabia’s Capital Markets Authority to launch an initial public offering (IPO). The announcement allows SMC to issue 75,000 shares, representing 30 percent of its share capital. No further details about the listing were released. SMC’s CEO, Bassam Chahine, told AGBI […] March 27, 2025
Artificial Intelligence Abu Dhabi tenders AI project to analyse genetic data The Abu Dhabi government has invited companies to bid for the development of an artificial intelligence system that would help doctors and researchers better interpret genetic data. The project calls for a large language model (LLM), the same type of AI technology that powers tools such as ChatGPT, to be trained on the Abu Dhabi […] March 24, 2025
Health PureHealth proposes first dividend after Abu Dhabi listing Healthcare group PureHealth is planning its first dividend distribution after listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in December 2023, the company said in a statement. The board of directors has recommended a total dividend of AED343 million ($93.4 million), or AED 3.09 fils per share, for 2024, representing 20 percent of the group’s […] March 18, 2025
Editor's Insight Health Gulf fertility: falling short of replacement rates Your starter for 10. The demographics of Tehran most closely resemble those of which city? a) Damascus b) Riyadh or c) Zurich. The answer of course, as any fule kno, is c). True, Zurich lacks a prison with the reputation and commodiousness of Evin, but in terms of population growth – or lack of it […] March 6, 2025
Health Gulf healthcare battling staff shortages as demand rises Recruitment is the single biggest challenge facing the Gulf’s healthcare sector, according to industry experts. By 2029, the region will need around 12,300 additional hospital beds to serve a population that is not only growing in number but also aging and living longer, according to private equity group Alpen Capital. That is equivalent to growth […] February 27, 2025
Health Burjeel wins Abu Dhabi healthcare contract The UAE hospital operator Burjeel Holdings has won a contract from Abu Dhabi worth AED225 million ($61 million) to manage and develop healthcare facilities in the emirate and in Africa. Burjeel will operate five clinics in the cities of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, and develop a new one in Al Wathba, about 20km south […] February 26, 2025
