Roche, the biotechnology leader, announced today that it has received its license to operate from the General Investment Authority (SAGIA) for its diagnostics division as a joint venture with local distributor Farouk, Maamoun Tamer & Co. during His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Al Omar, Director of SAGIA, visit to Roche’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland on the 14th of September 2018. This important milestone grants Roche the opportunity to expand its local diagnostics operations and footprint in the market, as it establishes its legal entity in the Kingdom.
Commenting on this occasion and how this milestone aligns with the company’s strategy in serving patients and partners in the Middle East, Dr. Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Board at Roche, said: “We are thrilled to embark on this new journey in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially at a time where the country is on the cusp of a positive change.”
This growing commitment by the Swiss leader in KSA will allow for greater investments into education and employment opportunities for local talent to develop and grow in and outside the country, a shared purpose mirrored in the ambitions of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Harald Wolf, General Manager at Roche Diagnostics Middle East, said: “We are pleased to strengthen our presence in the Kingdom and be closer to our patients and partners. Our mission remains unwavered as we aim to have our innovations accessible for every patient who needs them. After all, our ground-breaking advances in medical science are only meaningful when they reach the people who need them, and this is why our expansion into the Kingdom is an incredibly successful milestone.”
On his part, Dr. Ali Al Watban, Head of Roche Diagnostics in KSA welcomed this decision and “the great impact this achievement has for patients in the Kingdom who need diagnostics to lead healthier lives”. “We want to be able to support healthcare professionals as much as possible, to make accurate and reliable clinical decisions. We are doing just that by bringing in the latest diagnostic innovations to the Kingdom. Time is critical when it comes to the lives of members of the community and we need to increase patient access to the latest devices as fast as possible”, he added.
Roche has established a legal entity for its pharmaceutical division in 2016 which has also brought the company one step closer to patients of the Kingdom in need for the latest groundbreaking medicines. The biotech multi-national also has a strong presence in the diabetes care sector in the Kingdom through a partnership with a local distributor.