G42 Healthcare, Abu Dhabi-based leading health tech company and subsidiary of artificial intelligence and cloud computing company G42, has collaborated with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to enhance the UAE's clinical research and diagnostics frameworks.

The partnership has taken place in line with the signing of the Declaration of Collaboration between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and AstraZeneca in October this year with the aim of strengthening the healthcare sector in the country. The MoHAP and other entities are working towards accomplishing the UAE government’s strategy to enhance patients’ access to quality healthcare services and treatments across the country.

The Declaration of Collaboration signing ceremony was attended by Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH and Anna Hallberg, Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs of Sweden.

As part of the collaboration, G42 Healthcare and AstraZeneca will be working together to conduct clinical trials and explore real-world evidence through IROS – the first-of-its-kind Contract Research Organisation (CRO) in the UAE.

Addressing the occasion, Al Hamed said that such partnerships with relevant companies help in strengthening Abu Dhabi's global position as an incubator for innovation in life sciences and a robust destination for healthcare. He further expressed DoH's keenness to comply with the directives of UAE's wise leadership to facilitate fruitful and productive cooperative relations to join efforts of local institutions and international companies in the global health sector.

"All of our efforts come in line with the emirate’s vision to provide high quality and efficient healthcare services following global scientific foundations and employ the latest innovations and technologies in healthcare. This will further stimulate a knowledge-based economy in the capital and the UAE as a whole and ensure the health and safety of all communities around the world," Al Hamed added.

Further commenting on the collaboration, Ashish Koshy, CEO of G42 Healthcare, expressed confidence in working closely with AstraZeneca on various research and diagnostic avenues in the UAE.

"We deeply encourage opportunities for collaboration with international organisations to share our knowledge and expertise to drive the growth of the sector in the nation and beyond. We are confident in the incredible potential this partnership holds for the sector and the future of the region’s healthcare landscape," Koshy added.

Sameh Elfangary, Country President, GCC and Pakistan at AstraZeneca, also expressed excitement in collaborating with G42 Healthcare to enhance the healthcare sector in the UAE as well as the region. He affirmed that the collaboration will allow the companies to explore significant possibilities in clinical research and diagnostics to develop a more patient-centric healthcare sector in the country.

"Innovation in healthcare is a continuous process, and we are constantly pushing the boundaries of science to uncover and deliver life-changing medicines to patients in the UAE and across the region," Elfangary added.

The organisations will also work towards exploring real-world evidence in the field of genomics and comprehensive clinical diagnostic services via G42's Biogenix Labs. It has been one of the key players in the UAE's COVID-19 testing efforts by offering relevant products and services in the consumer and clinical health spectrum.

WAM