The UAE’s drive to become a regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub is moving beyond traditional medicines, with local producers investing in complex generics and biosimilars as the country seeks greater healthcare resilience and economic diversification.
Industry executives say the next phase of growth will depend on advanced scientific, regulatory and manufacturing capabilities, enabling the UAE to produce more sophisticated therapies while reducing dependence on imports.
“The industry is moving toward more complex, higher-value therapies, which favours manufacturers with strong technical, scientific and regulatory capabilities,” said Dr Fokion Sinis, chief executive of Abu Dhabi-based ADCAN Pharma. “That is the space in which we have chosen to compete: high-potent oral solid dosage (HP-OSD) and complex generics today, with biosimilars representing the next stage of our development.”
The shift comes as governments across the Gulf look to strengthen local production following supply chain disruptions exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Manufacturers argue that domestic production has become a strategic necessity rather than simply an industrial opportunity.
“The pandemic highlighted the risks associated with excessive dependence on imported medicines,” Dr Sinis said. “True resilience requires strong manufacturing capabilities at home, not simply a more diversified network of overseas suppliers.”
Reflecting the UAE’s broader ambitions, ADCAN, the UAE’s first and only manufacturer of oncology and hormone products, has expanded from its initial focus on these therapies into a wider range of therapeutic categories. The company operates three manufacturing units in Abu Dhabi’s ICAD III industrial zone, with annual production capacity of 500 million tablets and 80 million capsules serving markets across the UAE, GCC and Iraq. ADCAN operates in accordance with UAE GMP standards and holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications.
The manufacturer is also building a pipeline of more than 60 molecules while expanding capabilities in complex generics and preparing for entry into biosimilars. According to Dr Sinis, partnerships, licensing agreements and technology-transfer programmes are a key part of that strategy. “This is how we move beyond building factories and contribute to the development of a sustainable pharmaceutical ecosystem,” he said.
A growing focus is now on biosimilars, medicines modelled on biologic drugs that can help healthcare systems widen access to treatments while managing costs. However, producing them requires far greater scientific and regulatory sophistication than traditional generic medicines.
For the UAE, developing capabilities in this segment could have broader economic benefits beyond healthcare, including high-skilled employment and knowledge transfer.
“For the UAE and the wider region, developing biosimilar capabilities is about more than access to medicines,” Dr Sinis said. “It also enables technology transfer, creates highly skilled jobs and strengthens the region’s position in an advanced segment that relatively few manufacturers can enter.”
Executives say the sector’s long-term success will also depend on talent development, regulatory standards and attracting international partners. ADCAN is already working with international pharmaceutical companies through local manufacturing and localisation partnerships in the UAE, reinforcing the country’s credentials as a regional production base.
At the same time, manufacturers are investing in quality systems, compliance frameworks and workforce development to compete internationally.
“A pharmaceutical sector is only as strong as the people behind it,” Dr Sinis said. “This is a long-term investment in people, knowledge and expertise, and it will be essential to ensuring that the UAE’s life sciences ambitions remain sustainable.”
As the country seeks a larger role in global healthcare supply chains, industry leaders believe advanced manufacturing, research capabilities and specialist talent will determine whether the UAE can establish itself as a leading pharmaceutical production centre for the Middle East and beyond.
Source: Khaleej Times