KUALA LUMPUR: Pharmaniaga Bhd has partnered with BioNet-Asia Co Ltd (BioNet) to develop Hexavalent vaccines for children's healthcare using BioNet formulation.
Its subsidiary, Pharmaniaga LifeScience Sdn Bhd (PLS), has signed a research collaboration agreement (RCA) with BioNet of Thailand to develop the vaccine.
The company said this initiative is in line with Pharmaniaga's plan of establishing the world's first Halal vaccine plant.
The production of vaccines locally will reduce government costs and ensure national drug security," it said.
Pharmaniaga group managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope said the RCA would kick-start the development process of the Hexavalent vaccine in Malaysia.
Zulkarnain said Pharmaniaga and BioNet are involved in developing this combinational vaccine formulation, which is scheduled to be ready by the end of 2023.
"Pharmaniaga will conduct pre-clinical and extensive clinical trials to demonstrate the protective immune response with the Hexavalent vaccine.
"This vaccine will protect against six diseases such as diphtheria (DT), tetanus (TT), pertussis (aP), poliomyelitis (IPV), Haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib), and hepatitis B (Hep-B) diseases," he said.
Meanwhile, Zulkarnain said the Hexavalent vaccine is expected to complete its pre-clinical and clinical development, registration, and manufacturing and is expected to be commercialised in 2026.
He said the Hexavalent vaccine would be made available in Malaysia with a projected annual market value of RM200 million.
"The annual market demand regionally is estimated at an approximate value of RM500 to RM600 million.
"Pharmaniaga targets to supply Hexavalent vaccine to the Ministry of Health in Malaysia as well as to export to other parties worldwide," he said.
The Hexavalent vaccine is currently used by Malaysia National Immunisation Programme (NIP) and is fully imported.