BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Export Barbados (BIDC) and EarlyHealth Group (EHG), headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, have signed a Letter of Intent to jointly establish EarlyHealth City Barbados, a US$200 million world-class pharmaceutical and life sciences cluster earmarked for Newton, Christ Church. The initiative is expected to attract international pharmaceutical partners, drive industrialisation through sustainable contract manufacturing, and expand laboratory and clinical research capacity in Barbados and across the wider Caribbean.
Planned across 45 acres, EarlyHealth City will feature three domes totaling more than 250,000 square feet of contract manufacturing space dedicated to the production of oral solids, semi-solids, liquids and advanced biologics. This includes integrated capabilities for cell cultivation, upstream and downstream bioprocessing, and full scale-up to commercial release under United States and European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
EHG, a global pharmaceutical services and life sciences company supporting manufacturing, clinical studies and market access across 60 countries, has already secured Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several clients, including Acarpia Farmaceutici Srl, Bioeq AG, Formycon AG, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI), as well as a number of Asian-, European- and South American-based manufacturers.
The City will also include a fourth dome housing a Security Operations Centre (SOC), designed and managed by EHG’s business partner Cyb3r Limited, Dubai’s fastest-growing cybersecurity and data protection company. The SOC is expected to feature an AI-driven cybersecurity and data-analytics infrastructure to safeguard digital assets, manage regulatory data, and provide secure network operations for the life sciences cluster. The same dome will also house a 30,000-square-foot high-performance cricket training facility operated by global sports company DriveFITT, integrating advanced biomechanics and recovery technology to enhance athletic performance and develop future generations of West Indies fast bowlers.
Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, said Barbados is committed to providing the infrastructure, investment and oversight required to deliver what she described as a “transformative project” for the island. “Beyond infrastructure, EarlyHealth City Barbados will drive job creation and build local scientific and technical talent, allowing Barbadians to play a central role in developing a new industry. It is a cornerstone of Barbados’ economic future, embedding pharmaceutical innovation and production directly into our industrial base,” she said.
Dr. Dan A. Renout, Chief Executive Officer of EarlyHealth Group and the driving force behind the initiative, said: “EarlyHealth City Barbados is more than a manufacturing site. It is a platform for transformation. By combining world-class standards and building local talent and innovation, we are creating an ecosystem that strengthens supply resilience, generates skilled employment and connects the Caribbean to the global pharmaceutical industry.”
Once complete, EarlyHealth City Barbados will host a community of more than 1,000 professionals, offering wellness amenities, restaurants and collaborative workspaces that reflect a modern, sustainable lifestyle. Together, these facilities will form the Caribbean’s premier life sciences hub.
Senior Minister Coordinating the Productive Sector and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds hailed EarlyHealth City Barbados as a prime example of “commercial diplomacy at its finest.” He highlighted the critical role played by the Embassy of Barbados in the UAE and its Ambassador, Dr. Annalee C. Babb, in helping EHG develop several key value propositions for the island, culminating in the proposed life sciences city.
Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology, Jonathan Reid noted that “Barbados is taking decisive steps to join the ranks of countries leading in life sciences and pharmaceutical innovation, building a foundation for sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness.” He praised Export Barbados, its chairman, Dodridge Miller, and its chief executive officer, Mark Hill for their vision and foresight in not only leading the conceptualisation of Barbados as a regional hub for the global life sciences sector but also in designing an iconic building he believes could serve as a prototype for new approaches to high-end pharmaceutical manufacturing. (GlobeNewswire)
