Report

UAE RNA therapeutics market is projected to witness a CAGR of 7.23% during the forecast period 2024-2031, growing from USD 197.63 million in 2023 to USD 345.44 million in 2031. The growth of the market is supported by various factors, including increasing investments in the healthcare sector, rising collaborations with international organizations, and rising cases of chronic diseases. The growing burden of complex diseases is bolstering the requirement for novel therapeutic solutions in the country. Additionally, the growing emphasis on RNA therapeutics can also be attributed to the expansion of the country's population. According to estimates from the United Nations (UN), the population of the UAE is 11 million as of 2024. To meet the healthcare requirements of the population and reduce dependency on external sources, the country is increasingly focusing on RNA therapeutics.
Another area where RNA therapeutics are making significant strides is in the battle against infectious diseases, a particularly pressing issue in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of mRNA vaccines during the pandemic has underscored the potential of RNA therapies in this field, leading to increased research into mRNA vaccines for other viral infections that pose serious health risks in the UAE.
Other catalysts bolstering the investments towards research activities in RNA therapeutics include the demonstrated clinical benefits of mRNA for rare diseases and oncology and the proven potential of RNA interference (RNAi) in anti-infectives.
International Collaborations Support Market Expansion
In March 2022, mRNA Victoria, an initiative of the Australian government and the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, signed an agreement on mRNA research and science. Under the agreement, the countries are working on identifying different areas of interest in mRNA to initiate knowledge exchange and collaborations and identify early-stage investment opportunities. Furthermore, the collaboration also explores areas of private-sector investment and opportunities for clinical trials in both Victoria and Abu Dhabi. With the goal of expanding the RNA ecosystem, both organizations are going to individually locate prospective partners and collaborate with other organizations that are also working towards developing and licensing RNA therapeutics. Such collaborations are expected to bolster the development of innovative products and technologies as well as the effective execution and alignment of different projects. With the strengthening of research capabilities with the help of international organizations, the country is ensuring the availability of novel therapeutic solutions to manage future health crises and combat the threat of chronic and infectious diseases. Moreover, international collaborations within the RNA ecosystem are also expected to boost the commercialization and clinical research activities for RNA therapeutics, propelling the UAE RNA therapeutics market growth.
Increasing Investments Towards Healthcare Sector Provide Growth Opportunities
The government's commitment to strengthening the healthcare sector and boosting investments towards research and development activities provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market. According to the estimates of the International Trade Administration, in the 2022 federal budget, approximately USD 17.18 billion (AED 63.066 billion) was approved for public spending; out of the approved budget, about 7.6% was dedicated to the healthcare sector. Additionally, increasing investments in research and development activities are also driving innovations in the biotechnology sector in the country. Such investments are expected to further develop RNA-based therapies that can aid in combatting infectious diseases and genetic disorders, among others. The government of UAE is also supporting research and development activities with financial incentives as well as partnerships with international biotechnology companies.
mRNA Therapeutics Account for Major Market Share
Due to the rising cases of chronic and infectious diseases in the country, the government is increasingly focusing on ensuring the development and availability of novel therapeutic solutions, bolstering the UAE RNA therapeutics market growth. The multitude of benefits associated with mRNA therapeutics include the development of potentially unlimited targets and simple design, among others. Moreover, the role of mRNA-based technology in the success of COVID-19 vaccines has demonstrated their therapeutic potential, further propelling their popularity. The relatively simple processing logistics and design make these therapies an attractive alternative to other potentially risky and complex drug development strategies that are being deployed. The rising efforts and collaborations are expected to boost the availability of mRNA-based therapeutics for more patients and increase the affordability of the healthcare system. The surge in utilization of mRNA therapeutics can also be attributed to the shorter time frame of treatments, production of diverse sets of vaccines, and reduced expenses in comparison to the traditional approaches. The safety of clinically approved mRNA therapeutics, coupled with the evidence that supports their effectiveness, are further propelling their utilization for developing treatment solutions for various complex diseases.
Vaccines Hold the Dominant Market Share
Various vaccines use a dead or weakened version of the virus to stimulate an immune response against the disease. The development process of such vaccines is usually costly and time-consuming, and any modification can pose a great challenge. mRNA vaccines utilize a genetic code guiding the cells of the body to ensure the production of proteins for training the immune system, resulting in the development of plug-and-play vaccines that have low costs and rapid development times, thus, bolstering their popularity in the country and supporting the market's expansion. The rising number of clinical trials in the country for various mRNA vaccines also supports the segment's growth. In October 2022, Suzhou Abogen Biosciences Co., Ltd made mRNA vaccines for targeting the BA.5 and BA.4 Omicron variants, which were approved for clinical testing in the UAE.
Future Market Scenario (2024-2031F)
As per the UAE RNA therapeutics market analysis, the expansion of the population coupled with the growing threat of complex diseases is expected to propel the UAE RNA therapeutics market demand. According to the estimates of the United Nations, by 2050 the country's population is expected to become approximately 13 million. Additionally, international collaborations and growing awareness about the various aspects of RNA therapeutics are also expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market. Unlike traditional therapeutic solutions that bind to the active site of the protein to change their therapeutic response, RNA therapeutics are able to target any gene, even those that are implicated in the disease and not responsible for encoding the protein.
Furthermore, due to the relatively fast and flexible production process of RNA therapeutics and growing emphasis on the development of the country's biotechnology sector, investments and research activities towards these therapies are also expected to increase in the coming years. Recent advancements in RNA technology and validation of mRNA technology are expected to propel the RNA medical product landscape, including alterations in the commercial models of different pharmaceutical companies and re-examining regulatory pathways.
Key Players Landscape and Outlook
The rising investments by the key players of the market towards the construction of manufacturing facilities in the country is supporting the market's expansion. In January 2023, National Resilience, Inc. secured investment from the Mubadala Investment Company PJSC to aid the company in advancing the life science ecosystem of the country and securing the biopharma supply chain. Mubadala is establishing a manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi, which will be operated by Resilience. It is going to include a wide range of therapeutic solutions for chronic and complex diseases, including autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer, among others.