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- Held during the annual “UAE Innovates” month, which aims to reinforce the UAE’s position as an international beacon of innovation, Arcera’s ‘Catalyst: Collaborating to Turn AI Vision to Value’ forum at NYU Abu Dhabi highlighted the company’s focus on strengthening its AI capabilities to drive healthcare excellence and enhance experiences for patients and medical professionals.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Arcera Life Sciences (“Arcera”), a global life sciences company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, today convened a distinguished gathering of global academic, government and industry leaders at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYU Abu Dhabi) to help shape how Artificial Intelligence can be applied responsibly and effectively to transform healthcare across the Middle East region and beyond .
Titled “Catalyst: Collaborating to Turn AI Vision to Value”, the forum brought together industry leaders from ADQ, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Deloitte, Microsoft, IQVIA, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health, Pure Health, and Salesforce to share their insights on harnessing AI to improve clinical outcomes, enhancing system efficiency, and delivering more personalized, accessible care across the region. Held during the “UAE Innovates” month, the forum reflects Arcera’s commitment to building long-term healthcare resilience in the Middle East and beyond through innovation, capability building and responsible digital transformation.
As healthcare systems face greater complexity and growing demands, resilience is not only defined by the capacity to withstand disruption, but also by the ability to develop, manufacture and discover through strong partnerships among government, academia, industry and regulators.
“Healthcare resilience today is about much more than business continuity; it is about building the scientific depth, digital infrastructure and talent needed to deliver better outcomes for patients today and for generations to come,” said Isabel Afonso, Chief Executive Officer of Arcera Life Sciences. “At Arcera, our long-term commitment is to a healthier future, and that requires innovation with purpose. We see AI and digital technologies as powerful enablers across the healthcare ecosystem, from discovery to manufacturing, supply chains and meaningful engagement with healthcare professionals, including physicians. But true progress depends on trust, effective governance and collaboration. That is why this forum brings together leaders across sectors to turn vision into real value.
A Strategic Hub for Global Health
In parallel, Arcera continues to strengthen its global AI capabilities, enabling teams to apply advanced, scalable and responsible solutions that enhance engagement across healthcare professionals and physicians.
This initiative is closely aligned with the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence[1] and digital health, reinforcing the country’s ambition to lead responsible innovation and build globally competitive healthcare capabilities.
Dr. Jaap Kalkman, Chairman of the Board of Arcera Life Sciences, noted that Arcera’s strategic evolution is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s ambition as a global leader in sustainable healthcare. “Building a healthcare sector that is competitive, technologically advanced, and resilient is a task that can only be achieved as a collective effort. Arcera aims to play a significant role in ensuring that the required investments in innovation, talent, and next-generation AI capabilities are front of mind across our growing portfolio. In the fast-moving healthcare sector in particular, responding to market needs is no longer enough. The mindset shift is already underway and yielding tangible benefits for companies and patients alike. Abu Dhabi provides the ideal strategic base to drive this transformation on a global scale.”
The Power of the Ecosystem
The event also showcased the strength of public-private-academia partnerships to accelerate progress towards a more resilient, data‑driven and patient‑centric future.
Arlie Petters, Provost of NYU Abu Dhabi, emphasized the role of academic rigor in technological adoption: “At NYU Abu Dhabi, we are committed to advancing knowledge and innovation that deliver real-world impact. Hosting landmark events such as this forum reflects our role as a global hub for research, education and dialogue at the intersection of technology and society. We are proud to collaborate with Arcera and the broader healthcare ecosystem to help shape a responsible, evidence-based approach to AI that strengthens healthcare systems, builds local capability and improves outcomes for patients across the region.”
About Arcera Life Sciences
Arcera Life Sciences is a global life sciences company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Our purpose is to enable longer and healthier lives while creating sustainable growth. We develop, manufacture, and commercialize a broad range of innovative and proven medicines in key international markets. With a large footprint reaching patients in over 120 markets, and manufacturing and packaging facilities in eight countries, we offer more than 2,000 medicines across various therapeutic areas worldwide. Arcera was established by ADQ, an active sovereign investor with a focus on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, to realize Abu Dhabi's ambition as a global leader in innovative and sustainable healthcare.
To learn more about Arcera, visit www.arceralifesciences.com.
