Abu Dhabi DoH Partners to Advance AI Drug Discovery and Clinical Trials
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health has signed major agreements with Isomorphic Labs, WHOOP, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and AstraZeneca to accelerate AI-driven drug discovery, preventive healthcare and clinical trials.
The agreements were signed during the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026, in the presence of HH Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs.
Together, these partnerships aim to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a global life sciences and healthcare innovation hub. Moreover, they support the emirate’s strategy to integrate artificial intelligence, genomic research and advanced clinical technologies into healthcare.
AI Partnership Advances Drug Discovery
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Isomorphic Labs have established a 24-month collaboration focused on AI-powered drug discovery and preclinical research.
Under the agreement, both organisations will develop a research roadmap for selected drug discovery projects within Abu Dhabi’s Trusted Research Environment.
Furthermore, the collaboration will leverage Isomorphic Labs’ AI drug design engine, IsoDDE, which uses foundational models to predict biological systems and support pharmaceutical research.
Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, and Max Jaderberg, President of Isomorphic Labs, signed the agreement.
Additionally, the partnership will combine Abu Dhabi’s genomic resources, research infrastructure and regulatory capabilities to accelerate scientific discoveries.
Importantly, the initiative also seeks to address the historical underrepresentation of Middle Eastern populations in genomic datasets used for pharmaceutical research.
The collaboration supports Abu Dhabi’s wider life sciences strategy by connecting AI technologies with advanced research capabilities. Moreover, it aims to accelerate the development of more precise and personalised treatments for patients locally and internationally.
Wearable Technology Strengthens Preventive Healthcare
In another development, DoH partnered with WHOOP to explore how continuous health monitoring and personalised coaching could improve preventive healthcare.
The agreement, signed by HE Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of DoH, and WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed, establishes a phased 24-month research programme.
Initially, researchers will conduct a six-month study involving adults with obesity and high blood pressure.
The study will assess whether wearable health data and personalised coaching can improve cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes.
Specifically, researchers will monitor weight, waist circumference, heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and sleep patterns.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi physicians will contribute to the study’s design and clinical oversight.
WHOOP’s wearable technology tracks sleep, recovery, physical strain, stress and cardiovascular health. Consequently, the partnership could help researchers understand how continuous monitoring supports healthier behaviours and disease prevention.
Furthermore, the initiative aims to integrate wearable health insights into Abu Dhabi’s intelligent healthcare ecosystem, supporting population health research and personalised care models.
The programme will also explore how wearable technology can complement existing medical treatments. As a result, researchers hope to identify opportunities for improving long-term health outcomes through data-driven preventive care.
AstraZeneca Targets 30 Clinical Trials
Separately, DoH, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and AstraZeneca have agreed to explore conducting up to 30 clinical trials by 2030.
The proposed programme could attract approximately $50 million (AED180 million) in life sciences research investment.
Moreover, the trials will focus on cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, which represent major health challenges in the UAE.
The partners expect the first six trials to begin at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi by the end of 2026.
Additionally, the collaboration aims to position Abu Dhabi as a priority destination within AstraZeneca’s global clinical research network.
The initiative will combine DoH’s regulatory and research capabilities, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s clinical expertise and AstraZeneca’s pharmaceutical research resources.
Furthermore, researchers plan to leverage Abu Dhabi’s population-scale health and genomic datasets to generate evidence relevant to regional populations.
The partnership also seeks to expand opportunities for local researchers while enabling eligible patients to participate in international clinical studies, subject to regulatory approvals.
Ultimately, these agreements reinforce Abu Dhabi’s ambition to advance precision medicine, strengthen preventive healthcare and accelerate clinical innovation through international collaboration.
