TUMPAT – Pharmaniaga Bhd is setting up a RM300 million halal insulin and vaccine plant in Puchong, Selangor, which is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2023.
Group managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope said the plant, which began construction two years ago, would start marketing activities in early 2024.
According to him, the plant will make Covid-19 and other vaccines as well as insulin, with a production capacity of 100 million to 300 million doses annually.
“The pandemic has taught us that Malaysia should have drug security, so we are planning to achieve that as well as having discussions with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and Health Ministry.
“To date, our vaccine supply has been fully imported. Hence, with the plant, we will be able to develop vaccines ourselves in Malaysia through collaborations with Thailand, South Korea and India, and thus ensure we are not dependent on other countries for vaccines,” he told reporters after a house key handover ceremony organised by Pharmaniaga in Kg Kubang Palas to help a resident who had lost his house in a fire.
Zulkarnain said his company had delivered 20.4 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to the government and now had 14 million doses remaining.
He said Pharmaniaga was focusing on marketing the existing supply to the private sector, including private clinics.
“We also advise parents to bring in their children to get Covid-19 vaccine and booster doses to protect them against the virus, as only 30% of this group have received their shots,” he said.
Elaborating on today’s ceremony, Zulkarnain said the RM80,000 house was presented to Che Aziz Che Teh, who was injured and left homeless along with his family members in a house fire on October 14 last year.
Pharmaniaga collaborated with UAC Bhd in providing the aid. – Bernama, May 15, 2022
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