Middle East and Africa Gene Therapy Market Report

Middle East and Africa Gene Therapy Market Size

The Middle East and Africa gene therapy market size was valued at USD 0.61 billion in 2025 and is anticipated to reach USD 0.79 billion in 2026 from USD 6.11 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 29.15% during the forecast period from 2026 to 2034.

Stem cells are primarily used for gene therapy because of their ability to differentiate specific genes required to repair damaged or defective tissue or genes. In addition, gene therapy also has applications in the development of regenerative drugs.

The increase in the number of cell therapy transplantation procedures, the growth of research and development activities, and the increase in investment in the construction of production facilities for cell and gene therapy products drive the growth of the gene therapy market in the Middle East and Africa. The gene therapy market in the Middle East and Africa is growing mainly due to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the increasing adoption of regenerative drugs, and the growing number of gene therapy approvals. However, factors such as the high cost of manufacturing gene therapy are limiting the market's growth.

The burden of chronic diseases hampers the Middle East and Africa due to the lack of an adequate health system across the region and the lack of awareness of new therapies available in the market. The South African National Institute of Health reported that around 5.9 million people were living with HIV during the period 2017-2019. The Civil Society Organizations Network also reported that South Africa is seeing an increase in the number of patients suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung diseases. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas (IDF), approximately 15.9 million adults between the ages of 20 and 75 had diabetes in Africa in 2018. The prevalence of cancer of the cervix is ​​about 11.9 %, and 119,300 cases were recorded in Africa. Many major companies in the gene therapy market are investing in the region with such a large patient population and such a large market.

The low success rate of gene therapies, high cost of genetic research, maintenance, and ethics board approval is expected to slow the market growth during the forecast period.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

In 2025, the UAE region accounted for a larger share of the Middle East and Africa gene therapy market. The growth of the market for this region is attributed to factors such as the increase in the number of product launches to accelerate the general availability of the product for treatment.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the prevalence of diabetes is high. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 18.3% of the UAE population aged 20 to 75 suffered from type 2 diabetes in 2019. Over one million people are affected by diabetes in the UAE. The Arab Emirates, which places the country 14th in the world in terms of diabetes prevalence. According to the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Health, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Abu Dhabi and accounts for 16.5% of all deaths.

KEY MARKET PLAYERS

Some of the companies a dominating role in the Middle East and Africa gene therapy market include.

• Biogen
• Sarepta Therapeutics
• Gilead Sciences, Inc.
• Amgen, Inc.
• Novartis AG
• Orchard Therapeutics Plc
• Spark Therapeutics, Inc.
• MolMed S.p.A.
• AnGes, Inc.
• Bluebird Bio, Inc.
• Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc
• Dynavax Technologies
• Human Stem Cells Institute

MARKET SEGMENTATION

This research report on the MEA gene therapy market has been segmented and sub-segmented into the following categories

By Vector Type

• Viral vector
  • Retroviruses
  • Lentiviruses
  • Adenoviruses
  • Adeno-associated Virus
  • Herpes Simplex Virus
  • Poxvirus
  • Vaccinia Virus
  • Others
• Non-viral vector
  • Naked/Plasmid Vectors
  • Gene Gun
  • Electroporation
  • Lipofection
  • Others

By Application

• Oncological Disorders
• Rare Diseases
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Neurological Disorders
• Infectious disease
• Other Diseases

By Country

• KSA
• UAE
• Israel
• rest of GCC countries
• South Africa
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Egypt
• Sudan
• rest of MEA