Saudi Arabia Deepens Biotechnology Cooperation with South Korean Companies
International scientific partnerships are emerging as a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s push to develop its biotechnology sector and expand the availability of innovative medical treatments.
As part of these efforts, SFDA CEO Hisham Al-Jadhey held a roundtable meeting in Seoul with executives and representatives of leading South Korean companies to explore potential areas of cooperation in biotechnology and advanced therapies.
Modernizing the Regulatory Framework
The meeting coincided with the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities Summit and was attended by Saudi Commercial Attache Saeed Al-Madani.
To keep pace with advances in medical science, regulatory systems should adapt to emerging treatments while ensuring patient safety.
Al-Jadhey highlighted the SFDA‘s work to achieve this delicate balance by updating its regulatory framework, facilitating treatment registration and streamlining patient access without compromising quality, efficacy or safety.
He also outlined initiatives such as the NADR pathway, which aims to speed up the introduction of medicines for rare diseases, and new regulatory pathways designed to support the development and introduction of advanced therapies in the Kingdom.
How Can Partnerships Drive Biotechnology Growth?
Remarkably, international cooperation stands out as one of the elements underpinning Saudi Arabia’s broader biotechnology ambitions.
The National Biotechnology Strategy supports the Kingdom’s goal of becoming a global hub for biotechnology, while the Riyadh Biocentral Foundation contributes to boosting the research and innovation ecosystem needed to advance this objective.
In this context, Al-Jadhey underscored the foundation’s efforts, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to strengthen collaboration between research institutions and public and private sector organizations, as well as build partnerships with specialized international centers and companies.
Opening New Paths for Medical Innovation
Scientific collaboration and regulatory knowledge exchange were central to the discussions, with both sides exploring how to make better use of their research capabilities and technical expertise.
Against this backdrop, the cooperation is expected to support biotechnology innovation and provide South Korean companies with greater clarity on the SFDA’s regulatory requirements and pathways for registering advanced therapies in the Kingdom.
As part of the visit, Al-Jadhey toured a South Korean research institution specializing in CAR T-cell therapy, where he gained more insights about its major research projects and the technologies used to develop these advanced treatments. He also explored opportunities to exchange scientific and regulatory expertise.
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