Prime Highlights
- The GCC pharmaceutical market surpassed $30bn in 2025, growing around 7.5% annually amid a regional push for self-sufficiency.
- Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Operation 300B, backed by AED300bn, are driving local pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing.
Key Facts
- JLL is a global real estate and consulting firm that authored the EMEA 2026 Life Sciences Industry & Cluster Report.
- The regional biotechnology market is projected to reach $2.6bn by 2028, with biosimilars growing 15-20% annually.
Background
The GCC pharmaceutical market surpassed $30bn in 2025, as governments across the region accelerated investment in domestic drug manufacturing, biotechnology and healthcare innovation to strengthen supply chains and reduce dependence on imports, according to a new report by JLL.
The report said national strategies led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE were transforming the Gulf from a net consumer of pharmaceuticals into an innovation-driven producer, with investments spanning advanced manufacturing, research and development, precision medicine and biotechnology.
The JLL’s EMEA 2026 Life Sciences Industry & Cluster Report found that the long-standing efforts for self-sufficiency in the region had increased investments in life sciences, since governments were keen on healthcare resilience and production capabilities. Further, geopolitical challenges in recent times have highlighted weaknesses in international supply chains and have made GCC countries consider pharmaceutical self-sufficiency as a vital national objective.
The Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and UAE’s Operation 300B, which is backed by AED300bn, is promoting local pharmaceutical and biotechnology production for enhancing efficiency of the health sector. The report said regulatory reforms, including streamlined drug approval pathways and stronger intellectual property protections, were helping accelerate growth across the region’s life sciences industry.
The GCC pharmaceutical market grew by around 7.5% annually, while the regional biotechnology market is projected to reach $2.6bn by 2028. The localised generics market is expected to touch approximately $14.7bn by 2032, and biosimilars are expanding 15-20% annually.
Sandeep Sinha, Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences Consulting at JLL MEA, said the GCC was entering a new phase of healthcare maturity, with growing focus on regional manufacturing and stronger regulatory frameworks. He said governments were investing in specialised clusters and logistics infrastructure to position the region as an integrated global pharmaceutical hub.
