WuXi AppTec to expand CRDMO operations in Saudi Arabia

WuXi AppTec, a global contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO) headquartered in Shanghai, said it has signed agreements with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health and NEOM, a planned smart industrial region on the Red Sea, to advance pharmaceutical research and production in the country.

The collaboration with NEOM focuses on developing localized drug research and manufacturing capabilities, which could include new CRDMO facilities at Oxagon, the area’s emerging hub for advanced manufacturing, according to the company. WuXi AppTec said the initiative will support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build a biotechnology sector and expand domestic pharmaceutical production.

The agreement with the Ministry of Health centers on strengthening the national pharmaceutical value chain, training a local workforce and attracting foreign investment, the company said.

The announcements follow recent developments for WuXi AppTec and its affiliate WuXi Biologics, which were not named as biotechnology companies of concern in the latest draft of the BIOSECURE Act, a proposed U.S. law focused on national security risks in the life sciences sector.