Burjeel Holdings signs Avatrial agreement to advance AI-powered cancer research in UAE
The proposed partnership will combine Burjeel’s oncology services and clinical research infrastructure with Avatrial’s artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics technologies.
UAE—Burjeel Holdings and UK biotechnology company Avatrial have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore an AI-powered cancer drug discovery ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, aiming to translate patient data and laboratory research into potential new treatments.
The agreement was signed at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, with Burjeel Holdings Chairman and CEO Dr Shamsheer Vayalil present.
Professor Khaled Musallam, Burjeel’s Group Chief Research Officer, and Professor Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, Avatrial’s founder and CEO and a professor at the University of Cambridge, signed the MoU.
Integrating AI with cancer research
The proposed partnership will combine Burjeel’s oncology services and clinical research infrastructure with Avatrial’s artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics technologies.
The initiative supports Burjeel 2.0, the group’s strategy to expand complex care, clinical research and AI integration, while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s ambition to develop its life sciences and precision medicine sectors.
The planned discovery-to-clinic model will integrate clinical data, molecular analysis and laboratory experiments to identify potential cancer drug targets.
Researchers will use ethically consented surplus tumour tissue and de-identified patient data, subject to regulatory and ethical approvals, to study disease mechanisms and identify promising treatments.
AI-assisted molecular profiling will help identify potential therapeutic targets, while patient-derived experimental models will be used to evaluate drug candidates.
Programmes that demonstrate sufficient promise in preclinical studies could progress to clinical development, subject to further agreements and regulatory approvals.
Nurion CRO, affiliated with Burjeel, is expected to support clinical research and trial development.
Musallam said the partnership aims to move Burjeel beyond conducting trials of medicines developed elsewhere towards contributing to the discovery and development of new therapies.
He added that combining its patient population and clinical expertise with Avatrial’s discovery platform and the University of Cambridge’s preclinical research capabilities could help develop treatments informed by patients’ needs.
Saeb-Parsy said Avatrial seeks to improve preclinical drug discovery by integrating patient tissue, multi-omics data, AI analysis and patient-derived models within a continuous research process.
He said Burjeel’s clinical network could help establish a platform serving patients in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and beyond.
Building regional drug development capacity
Burjeel Cancer Institute brings an established oncology network spanning medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, supported by diagnostic imaging and molecular profiling.
Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi serves as a centre for complex cancer care, while the group’s wider research portfolio includes clinical trials, precision medicine and rare blood disorders.
The collaboration will begin with a feasibility programme involving selected solid tumours to assess how clinical samples, molecular profiling, AI analysis and experimental validation can work together within a coordinated research framework.
The findings will guide decisions on joint drug development programmes and investment in local research infrastructure.
The partnership could also strengthen scientific cooperation between the UAE and the UK, with potential future applications in rare and inherited diseases beyond oncology.
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