Dubai Science Park — Healthcare and Life Sciences Free Zone Guide 2026
Dubai Science Park (DSP) is a TECOM Group free zone specialising in science, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences. As UAE’s healthcare and biopharma sector grows, Dubai Science Park has become the preferred location for healthcare companies, pharmaceutical distributors, and medical research firms. This guide covers Dubai Science Park for 2026.
Dubai Science Park Overview
- Operator: TECOM Group (same group as Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City)
- Location: near Barsha Heights, Dubai; between Sheikh Zayed Road and Jumeirah Village; convenient to American Hospital and other major Dubai hospitals
- Scale: 400+ companies; growing healthcare cluster
- Specialisation: healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, nutrition science, health technology
- Key companies: Ferring Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline GSK, Novartis, Roche Diagnostics, Johnson & Johnson Vision
Who Should Set Up in Dubai Science Park?
- Pharmaceutical companies: distributors and marketers of pharmaceuticals for UAE and GCC market; Dubai Science Park has Ministry of Health regulatory liaisons on-site
- Medical device companies: import, distribution, and service of medical devices; DHA (Dubai Health Authority) device registration facilitated
- Healthcare technology: digital health, telemedicine, AI diagnostics companies entering UAE market
- Nutrition and wellness: supplement companies, clinical nutrition, sports nutrition (UAE is a large sports supplement market)
- Laboratory services: clinical laboratories, research laboratories; DSP has laboratory infrastructure
UAE Healthcare Regulatory Environment (from DSP)
- MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention): federal regulator for pharmaceutical registration in UAE; DSP companies work closely with MOHAP for drug registration
- DHA (Dubai Health Authority): Dubai-specific health regulator; approves Dubai healthcare facilities, medical professionals, and medical devices
- Pharmaceutical import: all pharmaceutical imports need MOHAP import permit; registered products only; DSP facilitates this regulatory process
Dubai Science Park Pricing 2026
- Business centre desk: AED 18,000-25,000/year
- Serviced office: AED 35,000-70,000/year
- Laboratory space: AED 80,000-200,000+/year (specialised laboratory infrastructure)
- Company formation: AED 8,000-12,000
- Annual licence: AED 12,000-20,000
Pricing Evidence & Source Notes
Use this profile as a planning guide, not a final invoice. Confirm the current package, activity wording, visas, office or flexi-desk requirement and renewal amount before payment.
| Free Zone | Package | Year 1 Cost | Renewal Cost | 3-Year Total | Visa Option | Office / Flexi Requirement | Year 1 Confidence | Source Type | Conflict Status | Last Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Science Park | DDA FZ-LLC registration component | AED 15,000–35,000+ (licence AED 12,000–22,000 + 1 visa AED 4,500–7,000 + office/lab costs). Physical lab or specialist facility significantly increases total. Quote-based for most setups. Confidence: Indicative public price |
Quote-based renewal - activity licence and facility depend on the selected district Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Quote-based 3-year total - depends on licence, facility and renewal evidence Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Visa allocation and immigration services depend on the selected facility and are separate | A TECOM/DDA district facility or lease is selected and priced separately | Indicative public price | Official DDA FZ-LLC registration service; partial setup component | Current package / renewal confirmation required | July 2026 |
| What is included | The current DDA service page publishes an AED 3,500 registration fee and lists certificate of incorporation, commercial licence, registers of directors and articles of association as service deliverables. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Activity licence fee, Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, office or facility, deposit, establishment card, visas, insurance, external approvals and advisory support. |
| Hidden-cost risk | AED 3,500 is only the FZ-LLC registration component. DDA states that licence fees are calculated from the selected activities; the district facility and immigration configuration also require a current quote. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium to high |
| Best fit | Life sciences, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, laboratory and research businesses needing a specialist Dubai ecosystem. |
Source evidence: Review source | Methodology | Corrections.
Prices can change based on free zone authority updates, activity selection, visa count, office or flexi-desk requirement, shareholder structure, establishment card, immigration file, medical test, Emirates ID, insurance, banking support and consultant service fees. Last reviewed July 2026. Always request a current quote before payment. View methodology or compare all rows in the UAE Free Zone Cost Index.