Malaysia’s MYEG inks deal with Chinese pharma firm for Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials, JAKIM halal certification

Malaysia’s MYEG has signed a cooperation with Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical to conduct Phase 3 clinical trials in Malaysia for the Chinese firm’s COVID-19 vaccine and to obtain halal certification for it.

MYEG Services Berhad builds, operates and owns the electronic channels to deliver services from Malaysian government agencies.

“As an internationally-recognised standard, JAKIM’s halal accreditation will ensure increased acceptance of the vaccine among the global Muslim population,” MYEG said in a statement on Monday (Dec 7).

The company’s agreement with the Chinese pharma firm also gives it exclusivity to distribute the vaccine in Malaysia for a three-year period.

MYEG this year leveraged its expertise as a digital services provider. It was appointed on Nov 1 by the Malaysian Ministry of Health to develop and operate the MySafeTravel digital health pass system to facilitate inbound travellers’ compliance to mandatory COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements.

Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical is a subsidiary of Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co. Ltd. It is one of five Chinese firms conducting Phase 3 clinical trials of their COVID-19 vaccines in different parts of the world.

China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd is working on its COVID-19 vaccine concentrate that will allow Indonesian state-owned PT Bio Farma to produce doses locally. Bio Farma CEO Honesti Basyir told Salaam Gateway in August the company will seek halal certification for the vaccine. 

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