EGYPT – Swiss multinational biotech giant Roche Pharma has signed a three-year strategic partnership agreement with the American University in Cairo (AUC) to empower patient organizations in Egypt.

The agreement aims to support the development of the Egyptian healthcare system and the implementation of standards of care offered to Egyptian patients.

Roche and AUC will partner on three key areas: external education through patient association groups (PAGs), research and development (R&D), as well as internal capacity building.

Leveraging its extensive experience in engaging with PAGs worldwide, Roche will enable patient communities to take a seat at the table with relevant stakeholders and have an equal voice in the healthcare ecosystem and in decision-making.

“At AUC, our primary goal is to achieve academic excellence and access the highest levels of proficiency to enable all our students to meet the challenges ahead,” AUC Provost Dr. Ehab Abdel-Rahman said in a statement.

He underscored that the partnership will leverage their combined expertise and skills for the benefit of the community, adding that it provides a unique opportunity to advance the healthcare sector in Egypt.

“Roche and AUC will jointly launch a range of Egyptian healthcare sector initiatives that leverage the core competent ices of both organizations,” added Dr. Abdel-Rahman.

Roche will support the capacity building of patient association groups (PAGs) from different disease areas by sponsoring curriculums created by AUC to help upscale their capabilities.

At the same time, AUC will develop a capability building program for the development of Roche employees and the institution will set criteria to choose students who will benefit from the support offered by Roche.

The pharmaceutical company will also consult with the Public Policy and Research Hubs in the Cairo-based facility to support the PAGs in building advocacy in a specific disease area.

The company has its own PAGs global conference: International Experience Exchange with Patient Organizations (IEEPO), a patient-led community with over 1000 patient group representatives.

The collaboration will provide a unique opportunity for Roche to partner with AUC on research projects that fall within the company’s areas of interest

Moreover, the partnership with the American University in Cairo aligns with Roche’s vision of providing patient outcomes and ensuring patients have timely access to care.

On his part, Mohamed Swilam, General Manager, Roche Pharma Egypt, commented: “Partnering with patients to further understand their everyday lives is essential to developing the right patient outcomes and delivering timely care to them with less cost to society.”

He further said that the Roche-AUC partnership will work closely with the patient community to improve care quality in Egypt.

He observed that the two parties can make greater impact to improve patients’ lives by working on truly personalized healthcare as well as further develop the healthcare sector in Egypt.

“Our collaboration with AUC will support the development of a resilient healthcare system for patients through patient association groups across the country,” Swilam reaffirmed to the Egyptian patients.

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