Saudi Arabia is poised to become a formidable force in the biotechnology landscape with the recent launch of its National Biotech Strategy, a key component of the ambitious Vision 2030 project. The Kingdom aims to position itself as the leading biotech hub in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by 2030 and a global biotech leader by 2040, with a profound impact on biomanufacturing and medical innovation.
Led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Strategy emphasizes four pivotal areas: vaccines, biomanufacturing and localization, genomics, and plant optimization. In response to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia is prioritizing the development, production, and distribution of vaccines. The Kingdom plans substantial investments in late-stage vaccine development technologies and aims to establish end-to-end manufacturing capabilities for self-sufficiency and regional exports, ensuring health security in the MENA region.
To reduce dependence on imported drugs, Saudi Arabia is focusing on localizing biomanufacturing. By reinforcing its domestic biomanufacturing platform, the Kingdom seeks to enhance self-sufficiency and facilitate the global export of biologics and biosimilars. The promotion of biosimilars adoption (>60%) is envisioned to make high-quality treatments more affordable and accessible to citizens.
Recognizing the pivotal role of genomics in precision medicine, Saudi Arabia plans to expand its national genomic database and analytics platform. This initiative aims to foster research and improve disease prevention, with a strong focus on implementing policies that support genomics research and ensure effective access to genome data for more accurate diagnoses and interventions.
In the face of challenging climatic conditions, Saudi Arabia is dedicated to leveraging biotechnology to optimize crops and trees, enhancing climate resilience and increasing self-sufficiency in food production. The Kingdom aspires to become a leading contributor in the field of plant biology, offering novel solutions to regions facing similar climatic challenges.
According to a recent report by Strategy& Middle East, Saudi Arabia has already invested $3.9 billion in biotech R&D since 2021. The Kingdom boasts top-tier institutions focused on science, technology, and medicine, showcasing its immense potential to emerge as a regional or even global biotech hub.
The comprehensive roadmap outlined in the National Biotech Strategy aligns with Vision 2030 objectives, emphasizing the streamlining of regulatory requirements, development of suitable infrastructure, promotion of collaboration between the public and private sectors, and provision of financing to empower the local biotechnology industry.
Beyond industry leadership, Saudi Arabia aims to create 11,000 high-quality jobs by 2030, fostering economic growth and diversification. The Strategy envisions a 3% contribution of the biotech industry to the non-oil GDP by 2040, with a cumulative impact of roughly $34 billion.
In the words of Abdullah Amer AlSwaha, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Board of Directors of the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, the National Biotechnology Strategy sets the stage for dynamic prospects, empowering talented researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators, while driving groundbreaking discoveries and propelling the nation towards a prosperous future.
