Malaysia’s Pharmaniaga to make pneumococcal vaccine, will seek JAKIM halal certification

Malaysia’s largest listed pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga will manufacture the pneumococcal vaccine on license from the Serum Institute of India.

The vaccine protects against pneumococcal disease, that is any type of illness caused by the streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. The bacterial infection causes illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis. The vaccine is primarily given to children.

Pharmaniaga said in a statement that the agreement with India’s Serum will allow its subsidiary Pharmaniaga Lifescience (PLS) to purchase the vaccine and manufacture using the technology licensed by Serum for filling and finishing in the form of pre-filled syringes.

The fill and finish product will be marketed, distributed and sold exclusively in Malaysia by Pharmaniaga Lifescience.

“All vaccine manufactured by PLS will be halal and certified by JAKIM,” said Pharmaniaga.

The company sees the agreement with Serum as a platform to strengthen its vaccine business and long-term partnerships, including technology transfer to grow the sector in Malaysia. The deal also gives Pharmaniaga another income stream.

Both PLS and its parent company currently have a long list of products that are halal-certified by JAKIM – PLS 14 and Pharmaniaga 76.

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