Sanofi deepens UAE commitment with genomic research pact, broader health initiatives
Global biopharmaceutical company Sanofi is expanding its role in the United Arab Emirates beyond supplying medicines, aiming to co-build the country’s future health system alongside its leadership, according to Baptiste de Clarens, General Manager of Sanofi Greater Gulf.
Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, de Clarens told Gulf News that the company’s footprint in the UAE is growing, both scientifically and operationally. Sanofi has moved from merely supplying the country to building alongside it, he said.
Partnership with Khalifa University
During the summit, Sanofi signed a genomic research agreement with Khalifa University, which de Clarens described as an extension of the company’s long-term commitment to the UAE. The partnership aims to inform future therapeutic discoveries in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by leveraging data from the UAE Genomic Program.
“Breakthrough medicines always begin with a deep understanding of human biology and genetics,” de Clarens said, adding that Sanofi is the first company of its kind to enter into such an agreement with the university. The joint research team will analyse governed local health and genomic datasets to study the genetic factors behind asthma and COPD.
The project addresses a gap in global research, according to de Clarens. “Historically, regional populations have been under-represented in global genomic research, so studying local population genomics in Abu Dhabi is a major step forward,” he said. “It means future respiratory treatments can be informed by locally relevant scientific evidence that reflects the patients we serve in this region.”
Expanding local operations and health security
De Clarens outlined concrete elements of Sanofi’s expansion in the UAE, including a regional distribution hub, collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH) to advance vaccine readiness, and an expanded clinical research programme. The company is currently running 26 clinical studies across 32 local sites.
“Today, we anchor our regional distribution through our distribution hub here in the UAE, we are collaborating with the DOH to advance vaccine readiness, and we are expanding local research,” he explained.
For Sanofi, true health security means embedding science, supply, early prevention and local readiness so communities are better protected and innovation reaches patients faster, de Clarens said. He linked the Khalifa University agreement to this view of health security.
Leveraging AI and next-generation technology
Technology was a major theme at the summit, and de Clarens said artificial intelligence is already transforming how vaccines are researched and developed. At Sanofi, AI is applied across every stage of research and development to analyse complex biological data, accelerate the design of mRNA sequences, identify promising vaccine candidates early, and focus clinical trials where they have the highest chance of success.
He also described a new modular vaccine manufacturing plant in France that can switch between different vaccine platforms in weeks rather than months. “That means we can advance next-generation protection against respiratory risks like RSV and influenza, or respond to a newly emerging virus, in a fraction of the traditional time,” he said.
Preparing for future health threats
During a forum panel on preparing for infectious disease threats, de Clarens emphasised that the quality of a response to an emerging health threat depends entirely on the quality of planning done today. He referred to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that science alone is not enough; global partnerships, access, distribution capacity, and regulatory mechanisms must be in place before an outbreak.
“If you try to improvise those after an outbreak starts, you lose precious time,” he said.
The UAE did an exceptional job mobilising during COVID, de Clarens said, and is now setting a benchmark by treating readiness as a major pillar of health security. Sanofi is working closely with UAE health authorities to put long-term preparedness frameworks in place well before a crisis arrives.
De Clarens also highlighted the recent example of oral therapy Cenrifki, which Abu Dhabi led the world in administering in routine clinical care for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) after the UAE granted its first global regulatory approval. “This is a true testament to how strong collaboration across the UAE healthcare ecosystem turns scientific breakthroughs into real impact for patients,” he said.
