M42’s IROS Launches UAE’s First Genomics-Driven Clinical Trial to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
M42’s Insights Research Organization and Solutions (IROS), in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Halia Therapeutics, a US-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, has launched the UAE’s first genomics-driven clinical trial, marking a major step in translating the Emirati Genome Programme (EGP) into real-world clinical application.
The study will use population-scale genomic data from the EGP to identify individuals who may meet the study criteria related to Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms appear, supporting research linked to earlier intervention and supporting a shift toward prevention-focused care. After the screening process and genetic counseling, the trial will evaluate HT-4253, Halia Therapeutics’ investigational therapy, in asymptomatic individuals who carry the APOE4 gene variant, a major genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. This further reinforces Abu Dhabi’s growing role in advancing precision medicine and next-generation clinical research.
Participation in the study is expected to be driven by a targeted outreach led by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, where individuals who may be eligible for participation in the clinical trial, based on genomic data and approved eligibility protocols, will be invited via text message to undergo eligibility screening.
The DoH has provided regulatory oversight for this initiative, ensuring the responsible and ethical use of data from the Emirati Genome Programme. All activities are conducted in full compliance with applicable data protection and patient privacy regulations.
Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), 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. By integrating genomic data into clinical research in collaboration with our local and international partners, we are advancing a model of personalised healthcare that enables earlier risk detection, accelerates diagnosis and supports the development of more targeted and effective preventive and therapeutic interventions tailored to each individual’s genetic profile.”
Her Excellency 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. The programme also helps ensure that populations from our region are better represented in global genomics research, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of diseases and future treatment pathways worldwide.”
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the world’s most pressing health challenges, affecting more than 55 million people globally; a number expected to nearly triple by 2050. In the UAE and wider region, the growing burden of neurodegenerative disease presents significant challenges for patients, families, and healthcare systems, underscoring the urgent need for earlier detection and more effective prevention strategies. Despite decades of research, no disease-modifying prevention therapy is currently approved.
The ability to deliver this trial is underpinned by the strength of the EGP, which has sequenced more than 900,000 genomes, making it one of the largest and most distinctive national genomic resources globally. This progress reflects the UAE’s advancement in building one of the world’s most sophisticated genomic and health data infrastructures, enabling the development of more predictive, preventive and precision-driven healthcare solutions at a population level. As one of the few large-scale, diverse datasets, it provides insights into APOE4 prevalence data and ancestry-specific linkage patterns in Emirati and Arab populations, enabling the identification and recruitment of high-risk individuals on a population scale.
Albarah El-Khani, Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Health Solutions, 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. That is not a marginal advantage, it is a structural one.”
The trial will take place in Abu Dhabi, led by IROS, with clinical data linkage enabled by Malaffi, Abu Dhabi’s longitudinal health information exchange. Together, these capabilities combine population-scale genomic data, longitudinal clinical insights, and end-to-end research infrastructure, advancing a model for genomically informed clinical research and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for precision medicine.
David Kavanagh, Interim General Manager, IROS, said, “This trial represents the clinical translation of a decade of genomic investment in the UAE. The Emirati Genome Programme was built to improve health outcomes, and today we are translating that data into real-world clinical research. IROS was established to enable precisely these types of biomarker-driven, prevention-oriented trials, and this marks an important first step.”
Halia Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing a genetic resilience-based approach to drug discovery, focused on understanding why some individuals remain healthy despite carrying high-risk genotypes and translating those insights into therapeutic strategies. By identifying protective biological pathways in APOE4 carriers who do not develop the disease, it aims to enhance natural resilience rather than simply suppressing disease pathology. HT-4253 is designed to inhibit LRRK2-driven RAB10 phosphorylation, targeting a genetically validated pathway associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk and progression. It is the first Halia program being evaluated in a prevention-focused neurological indication.
In addition to its collaboration with the DoH and IROS on the clinical trial, Halia Therapeutics has also announced the establishment of an office in Abu Dhabi, reflecting the emirate’s growing position as a destination for global biotech companies seeking to advance genomically informed research.
Dave Bearss, Ph.D., President, CEO & Co-Founder, Halia Therapeutics, said: “Halia’s approach to drug discovery is built on genetic resilience, identifying the biological mechanisms that protect certain individuals from disease, even in the presence of high-risk genotypes. The Emirati Genome Programme and M42’s integrated clinical and data infrastructure give us the tools to translate that science directly into a prevention-focused clinical trial. We are not waiting for disease to appear. We are acting at the moment when intervention can matter most, and the Emirati Genome Programme gives us a population-scale platform to do so. That is why we have established a presence in Abu Dhabi, and we are excited to show the world what the future can look like when we use these tools to focus on early intervention in high-risk populations.”
