Abu Dhabi is betting big on GLP-1 drugs and wearables as it seeks to retool its healthcare system for preventive care. Mubadala Bio signed a deal with US drugmaker Eli Lilly during the Future Health Summit in the UAE capital this week to package and distribute GLP-1 drugs locally. In April, the UAE became the second country to register Lilly’s weight-loss pill Foundayo, and was an early market for Mounjaro.
The Department of Health also launched research projects with two of the hottest wearables brands, Whoop and Oura. Boston-based Whoop will study whether continuous monitoring and coaching can improve markers like cholesterol in adults with obesity and hypertension, both persistent public health challenges in the Gulf.
Oura launched Project Cradle, a two-year pilot to see if its ring can flag spontaneous preterm birth in high-risk pregnancies, and will rely on Abu Dhabi’s clinical and genomic records, too.