- New analysis highlights surging sovereign capital, localised manufacturing, and a strategic shift toward healthcare self-sufficiency across the GCC
- GCC’s pharmaceutical market is growing at approximately 7.5% a year, topping USD30 billion in 2025
- The regional biotech and localised generics markets are projected to reach USD2.6 billion by 2028 and around USD14.7 billion by 2032, respectively
Dubai, UAE;August 2026 – The GCC’s long-term vision for self-sufficiency has catalysed the life sciences sector as national priorities drive large-scale investments to build robust domestic production capabilities and ensure healthcare resilience, according to JLL’s GCC-focused EMEA 2026 Life Sciences Industry & Cluster Report. This fundamental shift, fuelled by government mandates, has transformed the biopharma sector, which is now moving from a net consumer to an innovation-driven producer.
Geopolitical shocks, which exposed extreme supply chain vulnerabilities and amplified the economic and security risks of import reliance, have made self-sufficiency a cornerstone of national sovereignty for the GCC countries. Initiatives such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s AED 300 billion ‘Operation 300B’ now fund local drug and biotech manufacturing to boost health system efficiencies and support economic diversification.
Favourable regulatory reforms, including streamlined drug approval pathways and strengthened IP frameworks, are further strengthening the GCC’s domestic life sciences industry. As a result, the GCC pharmaceutical market topped USD30 billion in 2025, growing at approximately 7.5% a year, while the regional biotech market is projected to reach USD2.6 billion by 2028. Localised generics are also scaling rapidly and are expected to reach around USD14.7 billion by 2032. Supported by new plants and cold-chain logistics, biosimilars are growing 15-20% a year.
Sandeep Sinha, Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences Consulting, MEA at JLL, said: “The GCC is entering a new phase of healthcare maturity, with an increasing focus on regional pharmaceutical manufacturing and the strengthening of regulatory frameworks that support affordability, resilient access, and supply chain security. As the industry evolves from conventional drug formulation to the production of high-value biologics and advanced therapies, governments are investing in specialised life sciences clusters, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and world-class logistics infrastructure. These investments are positioning the GCC as an integrated hub that is seamlessly connected to global pharmaceutical and life sciences supply chains while enhancing the region’s long-term healthcare resilience and competitiveness.”
The GCC’s life sciences growth is driven by rising chronic diseases and a push towards specialised care, opening avenues beyond generics to personalised medicine, genomics, and advanced biologics. Key areas now include biosimilar development, vaccine production, and innovations like cell and gene therapy, with AI in drug discovery also gaining focus.
Beyond the major manufacturing hubs in Saudia Arabia and the UAE, ambitious national frameworks across the rest of the GCC are funding the localisation of advanced healthcare and biotechnology capabilities to secure long-term sector resilience. Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and Kuwait’s Vision 2035 are deploying billions toward digital health, personalised medicine, and genomics, while Oman’s Vision 2040 is launching new incentives within its special economic zones to drastically reduce reliance on imported pharmaceutical ingredients.
Specialised GCC clusters:
As the life sciences footprint in the GCC expands, JLL’s analysis highlights that manufacturing and R&D hubs are developing highly distinct specialisations. As regional all-rounders, Riyadh and Dubai demonstrate strong R&D credentials and manufacturing capabilities while successfully attracting global pharmaceutical companies and leveraging elite academic research to drive innovation.
In the research sector, Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as a global hub for biotechnology and precision medicine, while Doha is focusing on becoming a centre for genomics and integrated clinical excellence. Qatar has deepened its niche as a centre for specialised clinical research and excellence and is attracting significant international collaboration. Across the broader region, manufacturing capacity is also scaling rapidly, with Oman currently expanding its pharmaceutical infrastructure with 18 new production facilities under construction, in addition to the 20 currently in operation. Manama aims to become a hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing and logistics, while Kuwait City’s focus is on importing advanced life sciences technology and expertise.
Despite this rapid acceleration, the JLL report notes a strategic gap and opportunity within the ecosystem. Even as sovereign and private capital surges, there remains a shortage of dedicated facilities for large-scale clinical trials and biotech R&D, and limited manufacturing facilities for biologics, biosimilars, and vaccines.
The GCC has a uniquely diverse population base of over 200 nationalities, and developing specialised clinical research facilities represents a significant opportunity for global investors to establish world-class facilities for clinical trials, especially in genomics and oncology.
About JLL:
JLL NYSE: JLL is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 113,000 as of December 31, 2025. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data centre properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities.
About JLL MEA:
Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) JLL is a leading player in the real estate and hospitality services markets. The firm has worked in 35 countries across the region and employs over 1800 internationally qualified professionals across its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Cairo, Casablanca, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi.
