September-october . 2020 | @ Halal
Hot Topic
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By Camilia Rezali
Duopharma Biotech Berhad , a pioneer in halal pharmaceutical products in the country , is continuing to expand its range of products to address a growing export market . its Group managing Director Leonard ariff abdul Shatar confirmed the company was engaging several partners to develop stem cell products and vaccines which may be halal-certified . the revised mS2424:2019 Standard on halal pharmaceuticals incorporates a new component on halal vaccines , which can be applied to biosimilars or biologics medical products .
Leonard ariff said the company had also been approached by various stakeholders to contribute towards fostering a vibrant community which understands , and will facilitate the knowledge creation aspect around halal pharmaceuticals .
“ early this year , we organised our second halal pharmaceutical Symposium in collaboration with universiti Kebangsaan malaysia ( uKm ). the eventh attracted more than 200 delegates ,” he told @ halal . the participants and speakers comprised policy-makers , academicians , regulatory officials to business leaders and halal pharmaceutical experts to share their latest research works , as well as trends , opportunities and challenges faced by the sector .
“ We are also planning a second platform in Q3 2020 for corporate and health practitioners for an industry-driven comprehension on the benefits and opportunities for halal products .”.
Opening Of new expOrt markets
he was also pleased that Duopharma Biotech ’ s biosimilar erythropoietin , branded erYSaa , was recently certified halal by the Korea muslim Federation ( KmF ), a foreign halal-certification body recognised by JaKim . the certification was an initiative by the company ’ s partner , panGen Biotech inc . Duopharma Biotech will also look into obtaining the halal malaysia certification once the technology transfer and full production has been set up at its Klang facility . commenting on exports , Leonard ariff said at present , Duopharma Biotech exported to about 27 different countries primarily within aSeaN , middle east and africa .
“ the opening of new markets will continue to be done , especially as we develop a portfolio of products that are differentiated . the export market accounts for 10 per cent of revenue ,” Leonard ariff pointed out . the potential for halal pharmaceuticals in the country looks bright . the halal industry master plan 2030 developed by the halal Development corporation estimated the halal pharmaceutical market for malaysia at uS $ 3.4 billion in 2018 and projected to grow to uS $ 5.9 billion in 2030 .
But first , there should be a certain level of awareness about halal pharmaceuticals . Key stakeholders need to be on the same page as far as halal pharma is concerned .
“ the market can only be fully developed if all parties work towards a common objective
Building on its strength
Duopharma Biotech forges ahead with more speciality products for the halal pharmaceutical industry
of creating a harmonised halal pharma standard and an ecosystem that can support it ,” said Leonard ariff .
COntinuOus prOduCt diversifiCatiOn
according to the enhanced Flash report produced by iQVia in march 2020 , Duopharma Biotech ranked No 3 from among the 15 top companies based on market share .
Leonard ariff said the company will continue diversification by moving into the biosimilars space . this will allow them to offer its co-developed erythropoietin , which will be manufactured by its Klang facility .
“ We are also positive that we will be able to continue to distribute Biocon ’ s insulin to the moh . at the same time , we are working to build our trading portfolio with our partners . there are also plans to introduce more biosimilars into the malaysian and regional markets .
“ i would also like to highlight that we have our own high potent active pharmaceutical ingredients ( hapi ) facility in Glenmarie to manufacture a range of oncology and psychotropic drugs which we will supply to both public and private markets ,” he said . many malaysians are familiar with Duopharma Biotech ’ s brands such as Flavettes , uphamol , proviton and eyeglo . these come under the company ’ s consumer healthcare business ( over-the-counter or otc ) business that contributed about 20 per cent of its total revenue . Following this success , the company recently set up a new subsidiary known as Duopharma consumer healthcare Sdn Bhd to manage this business .
the Challenges ahead
Duopharma Biotech anticipates challenges in 2020 such as the strength or weakness of the ringgit , upward pressure on raw material prices , attracting the right talent into the organisation and the fallout from trade war between china and the uSa .
While there is much potential of halal products especially from the european union and the middle east markets , the registration process remains a challenge as the regulatory environment in international markets is becoming increasingly stringent . to overcome this issue , Duopharma Biotech has embarked on an initiative to upgrade the quality of product dossiers of existing and new products in addition to improving its manufacturing facilities . another impact arising from the government ’ s plan to control the price of medicines , Leonard ariff said it could possibly force innovators to look at other markets beyond malaysia . Based on the moh ’ s expressed position , the mechanism should enable lower prices for consumers .
“ But it should be highlighted that as far as the pricing of innovator drugs goes , malaysia ’ s is among the lowest in the asia-pacific region . malaysia is a relatively small market , and there will virtually be no impact on the level of innovation internationally due to these price controls .
“ Given recent examples of shortages in and supply disruptions in pharmaceuticals arising from the covid-19 lockdowns , it is important
Halal certification Halal provides certification a provides differentiator the edge
Duopharma Biotech Berhad has evolved through a long history to become the first manufacturer in Malaysia to obtain the Halal Malaysia certification from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia ( JAKIM ) in 1999 for its range of health supplements .
In a market with many generic players , halal provides the company with a major differentiator . Awareness of halal has evolved from an Islamic concept into a viable business proposition , attracting both Muslim and Non-Muslim consumers for its wholesome , hygienic and contamination-free principles in food and non-food products .
As part of fardhkifayah ( communally obligatory ); a legal obligation that must be discharged by Muslims , Duopharma Biotech is committed as the market leader in halal pharmaceuticals . The company also assured its halal products are safe for consumption , effective , of high-quality ingredients and processed hygienically .
The company ’ s health supplements include CHAMPS , Flavettes , Proviton and Naturalle .
These products cater to the high demand for halal health supplements in the market . Its range of halal health supplements has expanded from vitamins and health supplements to Consumer Healthcare medicines such as painkillers or analgesics , eye drops , cough mixtures , ointments for wounds / cuts / bruises , creams for rash / itchiness and many more .
In early 2017 , Duopharma Biotech achieved another milestone when it received accreditation as the first company to receive the Halal Malaysia certification for prescription medicines .
The company embraces the principle of a holistic approach to halal pharmaceuticals with the “ Halal Built-In , Not Tested For ” practice . It is a comprehensive approach taken in ensuring not only are its manufacturing facilities halal-compliant , but the halal concept is adhered to every step of the way from the selection of products , technology , raw materials , packaging , logistics and warehousing to the consumers .
It ’ s a testament to Duopharma Biotech ’ s commitment to developing products that are halal from start-to-end and thus , eliminating any need for testing as the process of determining halal is built-in .
that any price control does not make the malaysian market economically unviable for innovative drugs ,” he said .
So , how can the government attract more pharmaceutical companies to operate in malaysia , which has a small population of 34 million ?
Leonard ariff suggested : “ there are various factors to consider . For example , the process of registering drugs will play a role . incentives that companies will need to set up operations , such as manufacturing facilities , need to be sufficiently attractive .
“ in addition , there needs to be an attractive tax structure , market access to moh , patent adherence , availability of relevant human capital , specific r & D capabilities , and the availability of an ecosystem to support the pharma industry .”