ADCAN Pharma and M42 chart ambitious course in advanced oncology manufacturing and clinical research

A landmark collaboration between the emirate's leading pharmaceutical manufacturer and a global health innovator signals Abu Dhabi's emergence as a centre for specialised cancer therapies and connected life sciences.

The pharmaceutical landscape of Abu Dhabi is deepening with a meaningful partnership between ADCAN Pharma and M42, two organisations committed to elevating the emirate’s capabilities in advanced pharmaceutical development. The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026, charts a course toward contract development and manufacturing opportunities alongside clinical research integration, fundamentally connecting the dots between scientific discovery and patient access.

The partnership unfolds in carefully considered stages. Initially, the focus rests on secondary packaging and export-oriented pharmaceutical supply, with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals guiding the technical pathway. Secondary packaging represents the meticulous final preparation of finished medicines, ensuring they arrive to each market in precisely the required labelling and presentation. Glenmark has already completed a quality audit of ADCAN Pharma’s manufacturing facility, a critical validation that moves the project toward its next evolution.

The collaboration’s deeper ambition emerges in its oncology focus. The two organisations will work toward UAE registration of an advanced cancer therapy based on an antibody-drug conjugate, a sophisticated class of targeted treatment designed to deliver cancer-killing agents directly to tumour cells, minimising damage to healthy tissue. Batch release for major export markets may follow, subject to regulatory approval, positioning Abu Dhabi within critical global supply chains for specialised cancer care.

Clinical research forms the connective tissue of this work. IROS, M42’s contract research organisation, will lead clinical trial activities with support from ADCAN Pharma, bridging the essential space between laboratory science and manufacturing reality. This convergence reflects a mature understanding that pharmaceutical innovation requires more than isolated expertise; it demands seamless collaboration between those generating clinical evidence and those translating it into medicines.

The initiative builds on ADCAN Pharma’s broader trajectory of strategic partnerships. Earlier this year, the company forged a strategic alliance with MS Pharma to advance biosimilar and biopharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, while securing multiple licensing and manufacturing agreements at CPHI Milan to strengthen pharmaceutical capabilities across the Middle East.

Hamdan Mohamed AlDahmani, Chairman of ADCAN Pharma, observed that the partnership represents an important step in developing advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in the UAE and strengthening the sector’s competitiveness in regional and international markets. Dr Fokion Sinis, Chief Executive Officer of ADCAN Pharma, emphasised how the focus on specialised oncology products and local manufacturing capabilities positions the company to expand its business across global pharmaceutical supply chains. David Kavanagh, Acting Chief Operating Officer of M42’s Integrated Health Solutions, noted that turning scientific discovery into treatments depends on clinical research and pharmaceutical manufacturing working closely together, and that the collaboration explores how local manufacturing can support this work whilst connecting it with international markets.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This collaboration strengthens Abu Dhabi’s ambition to build a connected life sciences ecosystem that links local pharmaceutical capabilities with global markets. The focus on advanced oncology manufacturing positions the emirate as a meaningful partner for companies developing sophisticated cancer therapies, an area of global healthcare priority. By creating infrastructure that moves seamlessly from clinical research through to manufacturing and export, Abu Dhabi deepens its role in addressing critical global health challenges whilst building sustainable, knowledge-intensive employment.

The partnership reflects a broader transformation underway across the emirate’s pharmaceutical sector, where strategic alliances are systematically building capabilities that serve both regional patients and international markets. Through ventures like this one, Abu Dhabi continues to establish itself as a destination where life sciences innovation finds both intellectual rigour and manufacturing excellence.

Source: WAM