• Landmark Agreement Advances Vision 2030 Goals for Pharmaceutical Localization and Public Health Self-Reliance
• The local production of Aspirin Protect in Saudi Arabia is set to commence in 2028.
• Supporting sustainable access to life-saving cardiovascular treatments for communities across the Kingdom
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – November 27, 2025 – Under the auspices of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, Bayer, a global life sciences leader, has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alpha Pharma, a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located in Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), established in collaboration with Alpha Pharma, to locally produce Aspirin Protect. Aspirin is the iconic brand of Bayer that, for more than 127 years, has continued its job saving hearts and supporting physicians and patients in the cardiovascular field.
The signing marks a pivotal moment in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward pharmaceutical self-sufficiency and public health resilience. It reflects Bayer’s commitment to advancing Vision 2030 priorities through local partnership and innovation, from alignment with national goals to meaningful impact for people across the Kingdom. The local production of Aspirin Protect is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
Local production of Asprin Protect directly supports Saudi Arabia’s Health Sector Transformation Program, a key pillar of Vision 2030, strengthening the Kingdom’s capacity to manufacture critical, high-quality medicines locally, advancing healthcare self-reliance and reducing dependence on imports. CVD remains a major health challenge in the Kingdom, and ensuring consistent local access to essential, life-saving treatments is a national public health priority. Through this partnership, Bayer and Alpha Pharma are contributing directly to reducing the national disease burden, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing quality of life for communities across Saudi Arabia.
Beyond direct health benefits to the community, this milestone contributes to economic diversification and industrial transformation by embedding advanced pharmaceutical expertise within Saudi Arabia’s healthcare ecosystem. Bayer’s collaboration with Alpha Pharma introduces global manufacturing know-how and advanced production technologies into the Saudi market. By transferring these capabilities, Bayer equips the Kingdom’s pharmaceutical sector with the expertise and precision required to meet international quality standards.
Commenting on the partnership, Maged El Shazly, Managing Director of Bayer Saudi Arabia and Country Commercial Lead for Bayer Consumer Health, said: “The local manufacturing of Aspirin Protect represents more than a production milestone – it is a pivotal step toward realizing the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. By integrating world-class quality with local capabilities, we are ensuring reliable access to essential medicines, delivered where and when they are needed most. This achievement underscores Bayer’s long-term commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s journey toward a more self-reliant and sustainable healthcare system”.
Yasser Naghi, Chairman of Alpha Pharma said: “This landmark partnership marks a proud milestone for Alpha Pharma and reflects the confidence placed in Saudi pharmaceutical expertise. By supporting the localization of Aspirin Protect, we are reinforcing the resilience of the Saudi healthcare ecosystem while supporting public health and the national objective of pharmaceutical self-sufficiency. Through our advanced facilities and highly skilled Saudi workforce, Alpha Pharma is committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and a healthier future for our nation.”.
The MoU builds on Bayer’s long-term commitment to cardiovascular health in Saudi Arabia. Over the past three years, Bayer has worked closely with the Ministry of Health on national awareness programs and public education initiatives aimed at improving screening and prevention for CVD. The move to localize production of Aspirin Protect crowns these efforts with an enduring commitment to supply security and sustainable health access.
By embedding world-class pharmaceutical production into Saudi Arabia’s health system, Bayer and Alpha Pharma are taking a vital step toward the realization of Vision 2030. This initiative not only ensures consistent availability of a life-saving product, but it also signals a new era of public-private cooperation, local capability building, and regional leadership in medicine manufacturing.
