Haider Al-Abidi, Director of the Warith Oncology Center, announced that Iraq has secured licensing rights for advanced medical technologies that will enable the domestic production of biological medicines, gene therapies, and immunotherapy products. The initiative is expected to save Iraq approximately $1 billion annually by reducing reliance on imported biological drugs.

Al-Abidi said the project reflects the vision of Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi Al-Karbalaey, representative of the Supreme Religious Authority, to provide Iraqi patients with treatment standards comparable to those in developed countries.

Speaking on Al-Iraqiya News, Al-Abidi said the licensing agreement was reached through a strategic partnership with US-based Thermo Fisher following a year of negotiations, technical evaluations, and reciprocal visits. The agreement was finalized during Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington.

The deal includes plans to establish an integrated pharmaceutical industrial city to manufacture advanced biological medicines in Iraq while training specialized medical and technical personnel.

Al-Abidi said the project will strengthen Iraq's pharmaceutical security, reduce vulnerability to global supply disruptions, accelerate access to new therapies, and improve quality control by producing sensitive biological medicines domestically.