Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Group 42 (G42), a leading technology company based in Abu Dhabi, last Friday announced the signing of two distinct Memoranda of Understanding to explore collaborations in the research and development of effective solutions to combat SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Executives from each company took part in a signing ceremony held via video conference between the UAE and Israel. During the event, they discussed ways of leveraging their respective expertise to develop cutting-edge solutions and medical initiatives that could not only benefit the population of the two countries, but humanity as a whole.
Mr. Peng Xiao, CEO of Group 42, said: “At G42, we embrace international cooperation as a way to create better and more effective technologies for the public good. The UAE has led by example in the global collaborative effort to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic, and our company is privileged to follow the lead and share resources and expertise with Rafael and IAI for such a significant cause.”
BG (ret.) Ariel Karo, Rafael EVP for Marketing and Business Development: “This is a historic collaboration that was born out of a global crisis. As a technological leader, particularly in the field of AI, we are proud to offer our range of capabilities and knowhow to help in the fight against the COVID-19.”
This joint initiative brings together some of the region’s most active players in the response to COVID-19, and aims to combine their respective knowledge, personnel, technology, and resources to conceptualize, develop, and optimize breakthrough solutions that will help the world safeguard public health and defeat Covid-19.
G42 has been at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19 since its outbreak. Thanks to its expertise in AI-driven genomics, the company has recently announced a new partnership with UK’s Oxford Nanopore Technologies for the joint development of an end-to-end detection solution to screen in mass and on demand, in an effort to support the re-opening of global economies. In the UAE, G42 is also operating the world’s first phase III clinical trial of a COVID-19 inactivated vaccine, under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health.
With a legacy of over 72 years, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is a national center of research and development through its wide range of cutting-edge technologies. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, Rafael had swiftly developed a range of solutions to help society function in this current state. Some of these systems include robotic systems for hospitals, thermic sensors to remotely-detect body temperature, a unique “splitter” for ventilators to use on two patients simultaneously, a medical data streaming app, big-data and AI technologies, and more.