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Mubadala acquires majority stakes in healthcare firms

Acquisition supports the creation of a vertically integrated life sciences sector in the UAE

Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, has acquired an 80 per cent stake in Global Medical Supply Chain and Al Ittihad Drug Store from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding (GHH).

This strategic acquisition enhances Mubadala’s footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors, aligning with the UAE’s vision to establish a robust life sciences infrastructure. GHH will retain a 20 per cent stake, a statement said.

Founded in 2015, GMSC provides comprehensive end-to-end supply chain services for medical products, including demand planning, procurement, logistics, inventory management, warehousing, and maintenance. GMSC serves more than 200 medical facilities, including hospitals and clinics across the UAE. With a dedicated team of medical supply chain specialists, GMSC sources a broad array of products from almost 400 suppliers, ensuring a reliable supply chain for all medical needs.

IDS, established in 1987, stands as one of the leading distributors of pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare products in the UAE. Distributing over 1,000 products from over 40 leading suppliers, IDS services every hospital, and all, or at least most pharmacies and supermarkets within the UAE. It boasts a vast portfolio that spans multiple therapeutic categories including anti-infectives, asthma, diabetes, and oncology.

Ismail Ali Abdulla, executive director of UAE Clusters at Mubadala’s UAE investments platform, said: “The expanding pharmaceutical market drives an increasing demand for specialized and efficient drug logistics solutions. By integrating GMSC and IDS into our portfolio, we are poised to create a vertically integrated life sciences sector in the UAE and enable its potential to encompass the entire value chain from logistics and distribution to specialized manufacturing.”

Low Ping, Group CEO Yas Holding commented: “This transaction continues Mubadala’s strategic growth, following another significant acquisition by its new specialty pharmaceutical business, Kelix bio, which recently acquired a 100 per cent stake in four pharma assets from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding’s (GHH), the healthcare division of Yas Holding. These concerted efforts underline Mubadala’s commitment to strengthening the UAE’s healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors as part of broader national ambitions for drug security and economic diversification.”

GHH serves as the dedicated healthcare division of Yas Holding, focusing on enhancing healthcare outcomes by investing in innovative solutions across a wide range of healthcare verticals.