ABU DHABI (WAM)

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), regulator of the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eli Lilly Drugstore LLC (Lilly) at the BIO International Convention 2026, in San Diego, USA to address obesity and Alzheimer’s disease, two of the most pressing health challenges in the region.

Through this landmark collaboration, Lilly and DoH will explore establishing an AI-enabled obesity healthcare model, and a world-class Alzheimer's Disease Centre of Excellence, in Abu Dhabi.

“Lilly is honoured to partner with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi on initiatives that reflect a powerful alignment between Abu Dhabi’s intelligent life sciences ecosystem and Lilly’s mission to unite caring with discovery to make life better for people,” said Leena Aziz, Senior Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, Gulf.

“Together, we are advancing a model of care that brings together AI, population health insights, clinical excellence and breakthrough science to address two of the region’s most urgent health challenges: obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. As a trusted partner in the UAE’s healthcare journey, Lilly is committed to supporting the country’s ambitions to build a more predictive, personalised, and innovative health system that delivers meaningful impact for patients and communities," she added.

Dr Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said, “Abu Dhabi has established one of the world's most advanced ecosystems for precision medicine, built on population-scale genomics, advanced health data and clinical excellence. This collaboration with Lilly strengthens our ability to translate these capabilities into more personalised approaches to obesity and Alzheimer's disease, improving outcomes for patients across the emirate and beyond.”