Paris, 1 April 2026
KLEA HOLDING (FR0013481835 - ALKLH), a group specialising in the acquisition, development and digitalisation of businesses across various sectors, announces the creation of Klea Pharmaceuticals, a new company set up to market a portfolio of licensed medicines in high-growth markets across the Middle East and Africa.
Against a macroeconomic backdrop disrupted by regional conflict, Klea Holding is demonstrating resilience through the operations of Smart Salem, the first network of digital medical testing centres accredited by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in the United Arab Emirates, which remains profitable despite the economic slowdown, and the development of the joint venture Smart Health, which is continuing with a view to opening the 1st medical centre in KAFD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Company will provide a full update in mid-April when it publishes its 2025 annual results and its results for the first quarter of 2026.
It is on the strength of this resilience and with a firm belief in the growth potential of the healthcare sector in the Middle East and Africa that KLEA Holding decided to establish Klea Pharmaceuticals.
This new company is controlled and consolidated by Klea Holding, which holds a 46% stake, alongside the two founders from the international pharmaceutical industry and professional investors, with an option to increase this to 70% within three years, subject to compliance with the development plan. The founders bring significant expertise in the development, registration and commercialisation of pharmaceutical products in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
The establishment of Klea Pharmaceuticals forms part of Klea Holding's diversification strategy within the healthcare sector, an area in which the Group already has operational experience and a network of industrial and institutional partners in the Middle East.
A platform based in the United Arab Emirates with 59 medicines already registered
Klea Pharmaceuticals will operate from Dubai, where the company plans to set up a scientific office dedicated to portfolio management, regulatory affairs and business development.
The Company has already obtained the necessary authorisations from the Ministry of Health of the United Arab Emirates to operate and is launching with a portfolio of 59 medicines registered under both the Dubai Drug Code (DDC) and the HAAD Code (Abu Dhabi), providing access to both the public and private markets. The distribution partner network already covers 1,611 pharmacies (51% of the territory of the United Arab Emirates) and 51 private and public hospital groups.
The industrial model will be based on the outsourced manufacture of medicines through partnerships with CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations) across 18 international production sites, all of which are US FDA - or EU GMP- certified.
A regional market with strong growth potential in the Middle East and Africa
The pharmaceutical market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is worth $32.6 billion (€28.3 billion) and is growing at an annual rate of 7.8%, more than double that of mature markets. The United Arab Emirates is the ideal entry point: with growth of 16.5% over the last period, the country is the second most dynamic market in the MEA region, driven by universal compulsory health insurance and one of the highest rates of individual coverage in the world (68%).
Saudi Arabia, the leading market in the GCC (accounting for 60% of regional sales) and one of the world's top 15 markets, is the key focus of Phase 2 for Klea Pharmaceuticals: 75% of pharmaceutical needs there are still met through imports, and the government's Vision 2030 allocates $65 billion to modernising the healthcare system, with a target of 50% local production within five years.
In West Africa, 420 million people remain severely underserved in terms of essential medicines, with the middle class growing by 7% a year. Infectious diseases and digestive disorders - the core of Klea Pharmaceuticals' portfolio - are the leading reasons for seeking medical consultation in the region.
The most in-demand therapeutic categories in the MEA region are anti-infectives and gastroenterological medicines: the three highest-volume brands in the acquired portfolio fall precisely within these segments.
An ambitious regional development plan
Initially, Klea Pharmaceuticals will focus its commercial operations on the United Arab Emirates market, before accelerating its geographical expansion.
The Company plans to enter the Saudi market from 2027 onwards, as well as to expand gradually into West Africa from 2027/2028, two regions offering significant growth potential for the pharmaceutical industry.
At the same time, Klea Pharmaceuticals plans to gradually expand its product portfolio through the acquisition of new licences and pharmaceutical assets, including 33 innovative products already identified for this purpose, in order to strengthen its presence in several therapeutic segments, including chronic and autoimmune conditions, which are growing rapidly in the region.
Financing arranged by Klea Holding
Klea Pharmaceuticals will have initial structured financing of AED 12.5 million (approximately €3.0 million), comprising AED 8.5 million for the acquisition of assets and AED 4 million to fund working capital requirements.
These contributions will be fully funded by Klea Holding and its partners, in the form of contributions to the partners' current account, drawn from available cash or, where necessary, via traditional bank financing, depending on market conditions.
This structure ensures that the financing is entirely non-dilutive for shareholders, whilst offering optimal financial flexibility to support the development of the new subsidiary.
Financial outlook
Klea Pharmaceuticals is targeting revenue of AED 14.3 million (€3.9 million) by 2026, with a gradual ramp-up driven by geographical expansion, reaching over AED 200 million (over €50 million) by 2032.
Partnerships with regional distributors have been secured to ensure the continuity and commercial development of the portfolio whilst optimising the fixed-cost structure. As a result, the business is expected to break even in its first full year of operation and quickly move towards the Group's operational profitability standards.
A new milestone in Klea Holding's strategy
With the establishment of Klea Pharmaceuticals, Klea Holding is continuing to build an integrated platform in the healthcare sector, drawing on its experience, its industrial partners and its growing presence in the Middle East.
This initiative demonstrates the Group's ambition to develop high-value-added activities in the medical sector, to diversify its sources of revenue and margins, whilst increasing its exposure to high-growth markets with strong demand for pharmaceutical solutions through self-financed investments or non-dilutive bank financing.
About Klea Holding
Klea Holding is a group focused on acquiring, developing and digitizing companies in various sectors to maximize their growth and value. Through its "scaling industries of the future" identity, Klea Holding draws on its successful experience in developing Smart Salem, the first network of digitalized medical analysis centers accredited by the Dubai Ministry of Health (DHA) in the United Arab Emirates, and its Smart Health joint venture developed in Saudi Arabia, to extend this entrepreneurial approach to the four corners of the globe.
Klea Holding is headquartered in Paris and listed on Euronext Growth (ALKLH). For further information, please visit http://www.kleaholding.com.
Investor Relation: Jérôme FABREGUETTES LEIB // +33 1 53 67 36 78 // kleaholding@actus.fr
Press Relation: Fatou-Kiné N'DIAYE // +33 1 53 67 36 34 // fndiaye@actus.fr
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