The Saudi National Institute of Health (SNIH) and Sanofi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic framework to explore cooperation in health research, innovation and scientific capability development, supporting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to strengthen its position in regional and international health research.
The framework brings together SNIH’s national mandate for health research and Sanofi’s international scientific and clinical development experience to explore how scientific knowledge, research capability and R&D activity can be further developed within the Kingdom.
Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, the Health Sector Transformation Program, and the National Biotechnology Strategy, this collaboration will strengthen the foundations that enable high-quality research, including national research infrastructure, clinical trial readiness, research governance, and the development of Saudi scientific, clinical, and research talent. It will also serve as a platform for structured exchange of scientific and technical knowledge, methodologies, and international best practices to support the Kingdom's evolving research ecosystem.
Potential areas of cooperation span research and innovation in areas of high national disease burden and unmet medical need, including genomics and precision medicine relevant to the Saudi population. The parties may also explore digital health, artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced analytics, digital biomarkers and real-world evidence, with any activities involving national health or genomic data subject to separate definitive agreements and approval by the competent Saudi authorities.
Capability development will be another area of focus, with potential cooperation in research methodology, clinical trial conduct, regulatory science, bioethics, genomic medicine, bioinformatics and health data science. Through this framework, the parties aim to build sustainable local research expertise and strengthen collaboration among national institutions, academia, healthcare stakeholders, and the innovative biopharmaceutical industry.
Prof. Fars Alanazi, Chief Executive Officer at Saudi NIH said: “This framework reflects the Saudi NIH commitment to building a national research ecosystem that is globally connected and locally rooted. Strengthening the Kingdom's health research capabilities, from clinical trial readiness and the setting of research priorities and governance to precision medicine, data-enabled science, and medical innovation is central to our mandate under Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Biotechnology Strategy. Our cooperation with Sanofi provides a valuable platform for scientific knowledge exchange and for empowering Saudi scientific and clinical talent, so that more world-class health research is conceived, conducted, and translated into better health outcomes within the Kingdom.”
Dr. Lama Saleh, General Manager for General Medicines in Saudi Arabia & Gulf Countries at Sanofi said: “Saudi Arabia is moving from being a participant in global health research to becoming a place where globally relevant science can originate. That transition requires more than investment. It requires scientific talent, strong research capabilities and an ecosystem that can turn discovery into impact. Our collaboration with the Saudi National Institute of Health reflects our commitment to that ambition: bringing Sanofi’s global scientific experience together with Saudi capabilities so that more research can be conceived, led and generated in the Kingdom, with the potential to improve health outcomes in Saudi Arabia and contribute to scientific progress globally.”
