It’s a busy day of news for the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi as the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week gets underway, with a host of new medical centers, healthcare investments, and clusters announced.

Health, medicine, and longevity cluster-

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health will launch a health, endurance, longevity, and medicine cluster, which they will call HELM, according to a statement. The cluster aims to attract more research and development, new drug manufacturing, and commercialization of biotechnology, as well as medtech and digital health solutions, the statement said.

Not the first of its kind: Like Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) and the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance clusters, it will be geared towards attracting global firms and boosting supply chain integration and regulations for firms in the sector. The cluster is set to contribute more than AED 94 bn to Abu Dhabi's GDP, attract more than AED 42 bn in investments, and create some 30k new jobs by 2045.

Vaccine distribution hub-

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health also inaugurated a regional vaccine distribution hub in partnership with biopharma company GSK in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement. The two sides had inked an MoU for the hub, which is set to strengthen regional vaccine distribution efforts, last year.

M42’s new cancer treatment facility-

Abu Dhabi to build region’s first heavy ion therapy center: Abu Dhabi-based G42 healthcare arm M42 will build the Middle East’s first heavy-ion cancer treatment facility with Japan’s Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions after the two sides signed a partnership agreement, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The advanced radiotherapy center will be located at the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi campus, with construction set to begin next year.

SOUND SMART- Heavy ion therapy uses high-speed carbon ions to more precisely target tumors, reducing damage to healthy cells and allowing for quicker recovery compared to conventional radiation treatments. It is also often effective in treating cancers resistant to conventional therapies, and lowers the risk of secondary cancers.

Why this matters: Only 15 such centers exist worldwide, none of which are within a five-hour flight of Abu Dhabi. The project forms part of the emirate’s broader strategy to scale up its healthcare and life sciences sectors as part of its economic diversification agenda.

M42 has been active: In addition to managing the Emirati Genome Program and supporting Uzbekistan’s, M42 is planning to launch a 2 sqkm biobank in Masdar City next year. The state-owned firm also rolled out a new four-platform operating structure in January and reviews around 50 acquisition targets monthly, with talks ongoing in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Egypt, CEO Hasan Jasem Al Nowais said in November.

The story got ink from Bloomberg.

More cancer care (and rare disease treatment) from Burjeel-

Burjeel Holdings launched the Genetics and Rare Disease Center at Burjeel Medical City to provide care to patients with rare and genetic conditions, Wam reports. The center comprises three core units: a clinical care unit offering diagnosis and treatment across various subspecialties; an innovative trials unit conducting research and facilitating access to global clinical trials; and a social integration and education unit focused on raising awareness through seminars and community outreach.

It also partnered with US-based nonprofit Caring Cross to locally manufacture cancer treatment CAR-T cell therapies at up to 90% less than current international costs, Wam reported separately. Caring Cross will provide the technology, materials, and specialized training to Burjeel, with the first phase of the program set to focus on CAR-T therapies for leukemia and lymphoma, before potentially expanding to other diseases, including HIV, in the future.

Precision medicine efforts-

DoH to enhance precision medicine in the UAE: The Department of Health also partnered with PureHealth, Khalifa University of Technology, Illumina, M42, the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi, and New York University Abu Dhabi to expand precision medicine in the UAE, according to a press release.

The details: The plan includes building genomic infrastructure, developing population health programs, and launching research into gene and cell-based therapies. It also aims to bring genome testing and pharmacogenomics into regular clinical use, and create AI tools for data analysis and personalized care. Education and training programs will support local workforce development in genomics.

GSK will also work on a multi-omics research institute in Abu Dhabi focused on accelerating oncology-focused precision medicine, according to a separate statement. Multi-omics studies different biological molecules, such as genomes, RNAs, and proteins, for a deeper insight into how they work together in the human body.

Infrastructure investments-

Healthcare provider Mediclinic Middle East will invest AED 120 mn into expanding its flagship Airport Road Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Wam reports. The project, which is already underway, will add consulting rooms, expand surgical theaters, build new endoscopy suites, increase daycare bed capacity, and introduce more labor, delivery, and neonatal intensive care unit spaces. Construction will occur in phases to avoid disrupting existing services, with completion targeted for early 2026, according to the National.

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