Saudi Arabia Poised to Expand Domestic Manufacturing Eco-system as 30,000 Attendees join Inaugural CPHI Middle East

Riyadh: Efforts to build a new manufacturing, biomanufacturing and R&D hub in Saudi Arabia and across the wider Middle East are accelerating as more than 30,000 pharma professionals and decision makers to attend the inaugural CPHI Middle East at Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center, Saudi Arabia (10-12 December, 2024). Pharma leaders predict this first CPHI event in the Kingdom will help speed up efforts to establish a robust domestic manufacturing base.

CPHI Middle East will be the largest ever gathering of pharma companies in the region as Government officials, global pharma companies, biotechs and manufacturing partners are meeting to kick off the next phase of Kingdom’s plans to build world-class R&D and manufacturing infrastructure.

Ahead of a keynote address, Hala Audi, CEO of UNIZIMA—a consultancy specialising in public and private partnerships for bioproduction facilities in emerging markets—remarked: “The event’s success is just another indicator of the significant investment underway in the region. The rate of change is only accelerating, and the Kingdom is building pharma infrastructure at pace. The Government is rightly driving the momentum, by focusing on its strengths – a sizeable domestic market, growing scientific and medical talent, and financing power. I believe that with the right technology partnerships, the region is poised to build a biotech ecosystem that will compete with the best globally. Next generation technologies for vaccines and therapeutics including for instance RNA based treatments offer an opportunity for KSA and the region to leapfrog and lead the way in biotech.”

One key group looking to harness Saudi’s potential are Indian CDMOs, which are supporting emerging biotechs with product development in India and helping transfer manufacturing learnings and process development skills to the region’s burgeoning regional manufacturing base. Of the 400 companies exhibiting at CPHI Middle East, more than 80 will join from India, 65+ from Europe and over 90 from China.

The event is held under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Health, who will be among more than 150 experts presenting at the event. A Ministerial Panel on 10 December will outline the Kingdom’s strategy to develop a biopharma ecosystem, in alignment with the Kingdom’s vision to be the leading biotech hub in MENA by 2030 and globally by 2040. The Kingdom has ambitious plans to reduce its reliance on imported drugs. In fact, currently, Saudi Arabia imports over 81% of its generic medicines and 94% of its medical devices, however, by 2030, the Kingdom aims to produce 40% of its drug needs domestically.

The event’s extensive conference agenda, which spans four show-floor theatres, will deliver key announcements and vibrant discussions on a wide array of topics vital to the future of Middle East pharma development. Among the keynote highlights, Hala Audi, CEO of UNIZIMA (a part of Univercells), will share insights on building biologics capabilities in emerging markets, while Greg Licholai, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer at Icon plc and faculty member at Yale School of Management, will explore The Patient Singularity: How the Middle East Can Use AI to Improve Bio-Pharmaceutical Outcomes. The event will also feature prominent panel discussions, including a session on expanding Saudi Arabia’s domestic manufacturing hub, moderated by Eleonora Brero, Head of Consulting and Financial Institution Consulting at IQVIA Middle East & Africa.

April Hung, Brand Manager for CPHI Middle East, added, “CPHI Middle East is set to be the portfolio’s most successful launch to date – with incredibly impressive attendee and exhibitor numbers. This level of interest reflects the region’s ambitions and strong demand for partnerships. The public-private collaboration here is impressive, and by bringing CPHI to Saudi Arabia, we’re helping accelerate the development of partnerships and supply ecosystems that will fuel growth over the next five years. We’re thrilled to launch the show and play a role in building a new ‘heart of pharma’ in the Middle East.”