The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association in the Gulf (PHRMAG) recently held its General Assembly meeting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and has committed to redoubling efforts to support governments and healthcare providers in a united effort to meet the Covid-19 challenge across the Gulf region.
At the General Assembly, the association confirmed that there are now more than 500 research projects devoted to developing a new generation of therapeutics and vaccines that will offer effective treatments, preventatives or cures for the disease. Collectively, PHRMAG member companies are investing billions of dollars in the global effort to develop cutting-edge new medicines and vaccines.
Additionally, PHRMAG members confirmed Mohamed Ezz Eldin (Novartis) as the new Chairman, for the association.
PHRMAG, representing 24 globally leading innovative biopharmaceutical companies discovering, developing, manufacturing and marketing new medicines and vaccines in the Gulf region, reviewed recent efforts to maintain the supply of essential, high quality medicines in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges.
Commenting on the General Assembly, Mohamed Ezz Eldin underscored the outstanding collaboration with governments in the Gulf during the past six months.
“PHRMAG and its member companies have always collaborated closelywith governments to advance human health in the region,” Ezz Eldin said, “What’s so encouraging is how we’ve built on that this year to ensure that we’ve been able to ensure the uninterrupted supply of high quality, essential and innovative medicines to patients in the region”.
“At the individual company level and collectively as PHRMAG, we’ve reached a new level of collaboration and collective effort as we turn the tide on this pandemic”, Ezz Eldin said. “I’m optimistic about the scientific outlook for breakthrough medicines and vaccines—there is an unprecedented global effort underway”.
The PHRMAG General Assembly discussed the growing interest in the region in developing the innovative life sciences and biopharmaceutical sector. “PHRMAG is committed to working with policy-makers and officials to ensure that Gulf economies are able to compete and win investment, employment and innovation in our sector”, Dream Samir, Secretary General at PHRMAG said. “No other sector is as research-intensive, and the Gulf offers tremendous potential to succeed in life sciences”.