Abu Dhabi Biobank, a strategic initiative between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and M42, has partnered with AstraZeneca to advance predictive healthcare through genomics, clinical data and artificial intelligence (AI). Announced at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026, the collaboration aims to support earlier disease detection, strengthen rare disease research and advance precision medicine.
The initiative will explore the applicability of AstraZeneca’s AI-powered MILTON disease prediction platform in regional populations, with an initial focus on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The technology uses routinely collected health data to identify patterns associated with future disease risk, potentially supporting earlier intervention and more proactive care.
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The partnership will also integrate genomic, clinical and phenotypic data to improve understanding of rare diseases and help identify individuals who may benefit from earlier assessment and treatment.
Dr Fahed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Health Solutions at M42, said: “Healthcare is entering a new era in which data can help us identify risk long before disease becomes clinically apparent. Abu Dhabi Biobank was built to be more than a repository of biological samples; it is an enabler that brings together biology, genomics and clinical insight at scale, to generate knowledge that was previously beyond reach. This will help advance predictive science, evaluate next-generation technologies such as MILTON and shape deeper understanding of human health and more precise healthcare interventions for future generations.”
Abu Dhabi Biobank brings together more than five million biological samples, genomic information from the national Emirati Genome Programme, longitudinal clinical records and population health data. This integrated resource is intended to generate insights that reflect the characteristics of regional populations, which remain underrepresented in global biomedical research.
Also read: Abu Dhabi Signs Agreements to Advance AI Drug Discovery, Preventive Health and Clinical Research
Slavé Petrovski, VP Center of Genomic Research, AstraZeneca said: “This collaboration will support the creation of high-quality, UAE-specific evidence that can help inform national health policy and strengthen clinical decision-making to improve patient outcomes. Working with M42, we will apply advanced analytics and genomics, including AstraZeneca’s advanced MILTON model, to enable earlier identification of population health risk and the development of strategies to improve health outcomes in the UAE”.
