M42’s Insights Research Organization and Solutions has launched the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial, working with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Halia Therapeutics.
The study marks a major step in translating the Emirati Genome Programme into clinical practice, using population-scale genomic data to identify people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms develop.
The trial will evaluate HT-4253, Halia Therapeutics’ investigational therapy, in asymptomatic individuals who carry the APOE4 gene variant.
Eligible participants will be invited for screening through targeted outreach led by the Department of Health, based on approved genomic eligibility protocols. All activity is conducted under regulatory oversight to ensure responsible and ethical use of genomic data.
Her Excellency Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health, said: “The Emirati Genome Programme is a strategic national asset that is transforming how we understand, prevent, and treat disease, and is a reflection of the UAE’s vision to harness genomics in building a more precise, proactive and prevention-focused healthcare system.”
She added: “This study demonstrates the true value of the Emirati Genome Programme, not only as one of the world’s largest population genomics initiatives, but as a national platform capable of translating scientific data into real-world clinical applications that improve our community’s health and quality of life for current and future generations.”
Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 55 million people globally, a figure expected to nearly triple by 2050. The UAE’s growing burden of neurodegenerative disease underscores the need for earlier detection and prevention strategies.
The trial is enabled by the strength of the Emirati Genome Programme, which has sequenced more than 900,000 genomes. This dataset provides insights into APOE4 prevalence and ancestry-specific patterns in Emirati and Arab populations, supporting large-scale identification of high-risk individuals.
Albarah El-Khani, Chief Operating Officer at M42, said: “Combining one of the most comprehensive national genomic datasets in the world with Halia Therapeutics’ investigational therapy and M42’s integrated clinical and data infrastructure allows us to identify APOE4 carriers at population scale, with clinical linkage, in a population that is systematically underrepresented in global research.”
The trial will be conducted in Abu Dhabi, led by IROS, with clinical data linkage enabled by Malaffi, the emirate’s longitudinal health information exchange. David Kavanagh, Interim General Manager at IROS, said: “This trial represents the clinical translation of a decade of genomic investment in the UAE.”
Halia Therapeutics is advancing a resilience-based approach to drug discovery, aiming to understand why some high-risk individuals remain healthy and translate those insights into therapeutic strategies. HT-4253 targets a genetically validated pathway associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk and progression.
