DuBiotech announces Gulf Anti-doping and Monitoring Enterprise (GAME)

The new entity, the first of its kind in the GCC region, will be a subsidiary of DuBiotech and will be dedicated to conducting anti-doping testing for all professional and amateur athletes in the UAE.

H.E Abdul Rahman Al Owais, UAE Minister for Culture, Youth and Social Development representing the Government Authority for Youth and Social Welfare, Ibrahim Abdul Malik, Secretary General of the UAE National Olympic Committee and Dr. Abdulqader Alkhayat, Executive Director, DuBiotech, signed the MoU on the second day of Arab Health 2008, the Middle East's largest healthcare exhibition. The show, being held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, runs until 31 January.

The UAE is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, an internationally accepted framework for regulating the illegal use of performance enhancing drugs in sport, which is expected to be ratified in the next few months before the 1 January 2009 deadline.

H.E Al Owais said: "The new initiative marks the UAE's sincere commitment to the World Anti-Doping Code. The MoU we signed today is a major step forward that will raise the profile of our sporting infrastructure and help uphold international sport free from drugs. This is the first step which will be followed by the passing of the new law and implementation plan, currently being finalized by the UAE Cabinet."

GAME will work towards obtaining an ISO 17025 certification within a year. After this, it aims to get an accreditation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), an international independent organization that implements the World Anti-Doping Code. There is no similar laboratory in the GCC and there are only 32 WADA accredited laboratories around the world.

The laboratory at DuBiotech aims to be one of only three WADA laboratories that currently conduct blood sampling, in addition to the traditional urine testing. It will be a leading blood and gene doping testing centre, with additional testing for Erythropoietin (EPO), and human growth hormone (Hgh). These doping methods are increasingly being utilized in modern sport.

Abdul Malik said: "The establishment of GAME, a dedicated laboratory for doping analysis at the start of the year is the first step towards national doping control system. This is an important development in the country's sport. We are also optimistic that it will help enhance the international reputation of UAE sporting bodies."

Dr.Alkhayat said: "The GCC's first anti-doping laboratory within the DuBiotech premises marks a major milestone for us. We specially thank the UAE Government and our National Olympic Committee for supporting us in this endeavour. The new entity will bring additional benefits for us as it will generate research relevant results.

"In addition to doping analysis, GAME will also conduct research on new analytical techniques and will strive to improve existing ones, in affiliation with the WADA research programmes. Clearly, DuBiotech is on its way to becoming a centre of excellence in biotechnology as we try to bridge research and education with the industry by forming alliances with national and international organizations."

Having WADA accreditation creates a number of opportunities. The most important benefit is the eligibility of the laboratory to apply for funding which can be used to conduct further research on detection methods.

To be fully operational by end of 2008, GAME will be based in DuBiotech's Nucleotide Complex, the region's first dedicated modern laboratory compound which will also house a pre-clinical vivarium, a pioneering laboratory for animal testing.

DuBiotech aims to provide the necessary infrastructure for all entities dedicated to the life sciences industry, including the agricultural, environmental, and marine biotechnology sectors. There are 28 companies that are fully operational at the free zone. The park is working closely with the UAE Ministry of Health, the Dubai Health Authority, and other relevant regulatory bodies to further develop the life sciences industry in the country.