The deal will see some of Lilly’s weight loss and diabetes medicines packaged and distributed from a site in KEZAD.
Some of the world’s most in-demand weight loss and diabetes medicines will soon be packaged in Abu Dhabi, under a new agreement between US drugmaker Eli Lilly and Mubadala Bio.
The two companies announced the partnership on October 20 at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026. Under the deal, Lilly’s GLP-1 medicines will be packaged locally and handled through logistics operations based in the emirate.
The work will be carried out from a 125,000-square-meter site in KEZAD, one of Abu Dhabi’s main industrial and logistics zones, which includes packaging and warehousing facilities.
GLP-1 medicines work by mimicking a natural hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. Lilly’s GLP-1 treatments include Mounjaro, used for type 2 diabetes and weight management, and Foundayo, a once-daily weight loss pill approved in the UAE earlier this year.
What the Lilly and Mubadala Bio Agreement Includes
The agreement was announced by Hamad Almarzooqi, Group Deputy CEO of Mubadala Bio, and Nabil Daoud, President and General Manager for Lilly’s Intercontinental region. The signing was witnessed by Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, Director General of the Emirates Drug Establishment, the UAE’s medicines regulator.
The companies said packaging and logistics activities will be introduced in phases, and will be subject to the necessary technical, quality and regulatory approvals. They did not disclose the value of the agreement or a timeline for when the first locally packaged products will be available.
“This agreement represents an important step in strengthening our long-term presence in the UAE,” Daoud said.
Dr. Bakheet Al Katheeri, Chairman of Mubadala Bio, said the deal would strengthen the UAE’s supply of medicines in key therapeutic areas and help create high-value jobs.
Mubadala Bio was launched by Mubadala Investment Company in May 2025 as a life sciences subsidiary focused on producing and distributing medicines. At its launch, it had 10 manufacturing and distribution facilities across Asia, Africa and Europe, six of them in the UAE, with the capacity to produce more than 2.5 billion tablets and capsules a year, Gulf News reported.
UAE Among Early Markets for New Weight Loss Treatments
The UAE has moved quickly to approve new weight management medicines in recent years.
In April 2026, the Emirates Drug Establishment approved Foundayo, also known by its scientific name orforglipron, for chronic weight management. The approval came days after the US Food and Drug Administration cleared the pill, making the UAE the second country in the world to register it. Unlike many existing weight loss treatments, which are given as injections, Foundayo is taken as a daily tablet.
In Abu Dhabi, the treatment was made available to eligible patients through the Personalized Weight Management Program, launched by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre in June 2025.
The UAE was also among the early markets for Mounjaro, which launched in the country in August 2022 following its approval by the US FDA.
Demand for GLP-1 medicines has grown sharply worldwide as they have become widely used for weight management as well as diabetes care. Lilly, which is headquartered in Indianapolis in the United States, has been expanding its manufacturing and supply network to keep up with that demand.
Disclaimer: Patients should take these medicines only under the supervision of a licensed doctor, as they are prescription treatments with eligibility requirements.
