Mubadala Bio expands biologics portfolio with two new immunology therapies

The UAE is not content to simply import its medicines. Through Mubadala Bio and its subsidiary Bioventure Healthcare, the country is making a clear statement about where it wants to sit in the global life sciences supply chain. The latest move: the launch of two immunology biologics, Adalimumab and Ustekinumab, added to Bioventure's growing portfolio of locally available advanced therapies.

These are not obscure compounds. Both medicines are widely used to treat autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Making them available through a UAE-based biologics company matters both clinically and strategically.

How does it work?

Adalimumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets tumour necrosis factor-alpha, a protein involved in systemic inflammation. Ustekinumab works differently, blocking interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, two signalling proteins that drive certain autoimmune responses. Both are established treatments with well-documented clinical profiles, already in use across major health systems globally.

Bioventure Healthcare, operating under the Mubadala Bio umbrella, is adding these therapies to a biologics portfolio that is designed to serve patients across the UAE and, in time, the broader region. The focus is on expanding access to treatments that have historically been expensive or dependent on complex international supply chains.

Why does it matter?

Autoimmune diseases are among the fastest-growing chronic conditions in the Gulf. Regional data consistently shows rising prevalence of conditions like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, driven by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. So the demand for these therapies is real and growing.

But the significance here goes beyond patient numbers. Access to biologics in the GCC has long been shaped by import dependency, pricing pressures, and supply chain fragility. A regional company building out a biologics portfolio directly addresses all three. It also positions the UAE to reduce its reliance on single-source suppliers for critical medicines, a priority that became painfully clear during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For healthcare payers, including insurers and government health authorities, local availability of biosimilar or locally distributed biologics can also create meaningful cost efficiencies. That's a conversation every GCC health ministry is having right now.

The context

Mubadala Bio sits at the intersection of two of the UAE's defining national ambitions: economic diversification and health system advancement. Both are central to the country's long-term development goals, and life sciences has been identified as a priority sector for sovereign investment.

This launch is consistent with a pattern across the GCC, where governments are actively encouraging local pharmaceutical production, technology transfer, and health innovation. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has a specific strand dedicated to localising pharmaceutical manufacturing. The UAE is pursuing a parallel track, with Mubadala Bio among its most prominent vehicles for doing so.

• Adalimumab targets TNF-alpha and is used in rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and plaque psoriasis
• Ustekinumab targets IL-12 and IL-23 and is used in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Crohn's disease
• Both therapies are part of Bioventure Healthcare's expanding biologics portfolio
• The launch supports UAE goals around healthcare self-sufficiency and advanced medicine access

For clinicians and procurement teams across the region, the practical question is whether local availability translates into faster access and better pricing. If it does, this kind of portfolio expansion will matter far beyond the press release.