Today's Edition
SAN DIEGO (ALETIHAD)
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Sanofi, a worldwide biopharma and vaccines leader, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance their partnership in vaccine innovation and to jointly explore the development of a Vaccine Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi.
The collaboration would strengthen capabilities across AI-enabled vaccine discovery, mRNA research, clinical development and manufacturing, with the shared ambition of supporting regional and global preparedness for future public health challenges.
Operating within Abu Dhabi's Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) Cluster, the collaboration intends to bring together scientific research, clinical infrastructure, academic expertise, enabling regulation and advanced manufacturing within a single ecosystem.
Announced during BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, USA, the agreement builds on the strategic partnership established between DoH and Sanofi in 2025 and draws on Abu Dhabi's advanced integrated vaccine innovation ecosystem spanning discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialisation.
“Through our partnership with Sanofi, we are bringing together AI, scientific research, clinical expertise, advanced manufacturing and enabling regulation within a single ecosystem designed to accelerate the journey from discovery to impact," said Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the DoH.
She added that this partnership reflects Abu Dhabi's commitment to creating an environment where innovators can build, test and scale solutions that improve lives, strengthen preparedness and advance health outcomes for communities around the world.
Baptiste de Clarens, General Manager Vaccines, Greater Gulf at Sanofi, said, “Vaccine innovation today is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, by advances in mRNA science, and by new models that connect discovery, development and manufacturing.”
The centre’s capabilities will include AI-enabled vaccine discovery and design, immunology, clinical development, mRNA research and clinical manufacturing.
The planned Vaccine Innovation Centre will also help expand access to advanced vaccines and strengthen preparedness for future public health challenges.
A key enabler of the emirate's intelligent life sciences ecosystem is Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s (ADIO) Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) Cluster, which connects research, investment, commercialisation and healthcare implementation within a single ecosystem.
