Photo Credit : WAM
Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector is stepping up efforts to tackle two of the region’s fastest-growing health challenges, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease, through a new strategic partnership between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Eli Lilly and Company.
The agreement, signed during the BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, marks a major push to strengthen advanced healthcare solutions in the UAE.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, both parties will explore the development of an AI-powered obesity healthcare model and the establishment of a specialised Alzheimer’s Disease Centre of Excellence in Abu Dhabi, aimed at improving early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and long-term patient outcomes.
Leena Aziz, Senior Director of Corporate and Government Affairs for the Gulf at Lilly, said the partnership reflects a strong alignment between Abu Dhabi’s growing life sciences ecosystem and Lilly’s mission to deliver innovative healthcare solutions.
She noted that the collaboration will combine artificial intelligence, population health data, clinical expertise and scientific breakthroughs to address urgent healthcare concerns across the region.
Dr Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at DoH, said Abu Dhabi has built one of the world’s most advanced ecosystems for precision medicine, supported by large-scale genomics and advanced health data.
She said the partnership with Lilly would strengthen the emirate’s ability to create more personalised and predictive healthcare approaches, helping improve treatment outcomes for obesity and Alzheimer’s patients both locally and internationally.
The move reinforces Abu Dhabi’s ambition to position itself as a global hub for healthcare innovation, precision medicine and advanced disease management.
