Abu Dhabi and Australia have signed an agreement to grow the global RNA ecosystem and develop future Covid-19 treatments.
The agreement was signed by Dr Jamal Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Michael Kapel, chief executive of mRNA Victoria, an Australian government initiative.
The UAE and Australia will identify areas of interest related to mRNA research, initiate collaborations and knowledge exchange and identify early-stage research investment opportunities.
mRNA technology made headlines when the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines were approved for use, first in the US, and then globally, during the pandemic.
With the signing of this, we look forward to seeing advancements in mRNA-based therapeutics research and strengthening the capabilities of the international healthcare system
Dr Jamal Al Kaabi,
Department of Health – Abu Dhabi
Many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies to trigger an immune response.
But with mRNA technology, scientists tackle disease by borrowing the body’s natural protein-building software.
The idea is to use this software, or messenger RNA (mRNA), to create exact replicas of a known enemy such as the distinctive spike of the novel coronavirus.
That way, the immune system learns to recognise its foe and will be ready for battle when it meets the real thing.
Experts believe mRNA could change the future of medicine and healthcare.
The collaboration will explore clinical trial opportunities and areas for private sector investment in Abu Dhabi and Victoria state in Australia.
With a focus on the development of the RNA ecosystem, both sides will be able to identify prospective partners and collaborate with organisations seeking to develop and licence RNA-based therapeutics and treatments.
A steering committee of members from the Department of Health and mRNA Victoria will be set up to ensure alignment and effective execution of projects.
“We are always open to forward-thinking and innovative collaborations with leading global partners, such as the state of Victoria," said Dr Al Kaabi.
"With the signing of this, we look forward to seeing advancements in mRNA-based therapeutics research and strengthening the capabilities of the international healthcare system so that we are better prepared for future pandemics and health crises."
Jaala Pulford, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, in the government of Victoria said: “This agreement signifies a global collaboration to share knowledge, information and expertise within the ecosystem supporting supply chains research and development for pre and clinical research, commercialisation and manufacturing investments.”
In the past five years, Abu Dhabi doubled its research capabilities and developed several scientific, clinical and research programmes. These exceeded the number of projects carried out during the previous five years.
The Department of Health also launched the Covid-19 Research Registry, a platform that supports scientific research and discoveries related to the virus and disease. The registry has received 386 scientific papers. Of these, 340 papers have been approved and 46 were published.
What is RNA?
RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule that plays a central role in the function of genes.
After the success of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, experts believe that the technology can be used to unlock the root causes of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Diseases including cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and cystic fibrosis could all be targeted by mRNA-based treatments or preventive vaccines.
mRNA and other forms of RNA, such as siRNA, miRNA and gRNA, also have huge potential in medicine beyond vaccines.
It can also be used in the biotechnology and agricultural sectors.
How does it work?
Although mRNA can be made artificially, it is not a human invention, because it plays a central role in the production of proteins from an organism’s genes.
Consisting of a single strand of ribonucleic acid (RNA), mRNA is where genes (which in people are made from deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA) are copied inside the nucleus of cells.
The mRNA travels into the liquid area outside the nucleus, the cytoplasm, where, in a process called translation, it codes for the production of a protein.
The sequence of amino acids (protein building blocks) that make up this protein is determined by the sequence of the base pairs or repeating units of the mRNA.
When mRNA is administered as a vaccine or other therapeutic substance, it too ends up in cells, where translation takes place and proteins are produced.
With Covid-19 vaccines, these proteins are coronavirus spike proteins, the immune response to which offers protection if the person is subsequently infected with the virus.
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Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
England's Ashes squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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