KUALA LUMPUR: With billions of vaccines required around the world, the prospect of Malaysia becoming a global vaccine manufacturing hub appears promising as the country aims to continue contributing to the global vaccine production effort.
According to Arham Abdul Rahman, chief executive officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the government announced a new tax incentive in Budget 2021 to attract further investments in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, namely a preferential tax rate of 0% to 10% for ten years, followed by 10% for the subsequent ten years.”
He said, as part of the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) initiative, Malaysia is offering a special Relocation Incentive until December 2022 for new investments in the manufacturing sector, including the pharmaceutical industry.
“Recognising the lack of vaccine production for humans, the government mandated the commissioning of the National Vaccine Development Roadmap (NVDR) with a target to make Malaysia a human vaccine producer within the next ten years, equipped with a complete ecosystem ready for research and development (R&D) and local manufacturing of vaccines,” said Arham.
Presently, nine companies in Malaysia were given approval for manufacturing licences, with plenty of room for more companies to fill in the various areas of the vaccine supply chain, particularly in local vaccine production and R&D.
“Malaysia has seen significant growth in the areas of R&D, as evidenced by the use of the latest revolutionary mRNA technology. Malaysia is the first country outside China to conduct clinical trials for an inactivated Covid-19 vaccine,” Arham said.
The pharmaceutical manufacturers in Malaysia are closely monitored and set to a high standard in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certifications.
Malaysia is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), a non-binding, informal cooperative arrangement between Regulatory Authorities in the field of GMP of medicinal products for human or veterinary use.
The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), MOH is currently developing Covid-19 vaccines based on Inactivated Viruses and mRNA, representing the pinnacle of local vaccine research capabilities.
Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals (MVP) is also actively producing vaccines for animals, while Pharmaniaga LifeScience is conducting the fill-and-finish of Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccines and Solution Biologics is planning to formulate CanSinoBIO’s Covid-19 vaccines.
Arham also said there has been a surge in demand for halal pharmaceuticals globally, which Malaysia can certainly capitalise on.
“Malaysia is a forerunner in the global halal drug market, and as a leader in the halal pharmaceutical sector, is leveraging on existing advantages. Helmed by the government, the standards on halal pharmaceuticals were recently revised while halal standards for medical devices have also been issued.”
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