The key facts
- Eli Lilly will package Mounjaro and Foundayo in the UAE under an agreement with Mubadala Bio
- Mubadala Bio operates four plants in the UAE and maintained medicine supplies during shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz
- According to a joint study by Eli Lilly and Whiteshield, obesity in the UAE could rise to 32% by 2031 or fall to 18% with accelerated intervention
Manufacturing agreement in the UAE
An agreement has been signed allowing the American company Eli Lilly to package weight-loss drugs in the UAE. Under the deal with Mubadala Bio, the drug Mounjaro, as well as the oral medicine Foundayo, will be packaged in the UAE before distribution across the region and beyond. Mubadala Bio deputy CEO Hamad Almarzouqi announced this on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit on Tuesday. According to him, the drugs will be contract-manufactured in the UAE and distributed worldwide. The agreement, it is noted, is intended to 'support reliable access to innovative medicines and strengthen the UAE's role in the global life sciences supply chain.'
Context of the obesity problem
Earlier, The National reported, citing a report, that the UAE's efforts to reduce obesity levels could deliver a $51 billion productivity gain, support military readiness and raise education levels. According to the report, about 32% of the UAE population could face obesity by 2031, which increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. A joint study by Eli Lilly and analysts from Whiteshield, with the participation of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, suggests that with accelerated intervention this figure could be reduced to 18% over the same period. It was also reported that UAE residents are urged to take weight-loss drugs responsibly and only as prescribed by a doctor. In June, the approval of the oral drug Wegovy in the UAE was announced; the same drug had previously been prescribed in the country in injectable pen form. Off-label use of prescription drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro has grown in recent years, and health authorities in various countries are trying to restrict the use of unregulated injections without a prescription for cosmetic purposes, a trend fueled by social media.
About Mubadala Bio and drug security
Mubadala Bio was established in May of last year to strengthen drug security, combat common diseases and develop domestic expertise. Almarzouqi noted that most pharmaceutical products in the UAE are imported; the company has a five-year plan to reduce this share, but no public target has yet been set. The company said it supported supplies of vital medicines during shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz this year: before the strait's closure, it increased raw material stocks, organized alternative air and land routes, used other UAE ports, and sourced some raw materials locally. 'We are dealing with people's lives,' Almarzouqi said, emphasizing that the company's goal is for medicines to be available to patients on time.
Production capacity
Mubadala Bio operates four plants in the UAE. Bioventure Healthcare in Jebel Ali produces soft gelatin capsules and has a facility for highly potent oncology drugs, which also produces hormones. The company has brought more than four oncology drugs and female fertility hormones to market, with more products in development. According to Almarzouqi, agreements with international manufacturers are not just about imports: companies choose the UAE because of talent, connectivity and the quality of finished products. Trust in local generics, he added, will depend on the effectiveness of the drugs, and the company is confident that its products meet the highest global standards.
