22 HALAL PHARMA
22 HALAL PHARMA
@ Halal | September-October. 2026
Medicine’ s new frontier
� Malaysia’ s halal pharmaceutical market is moving from niche recognition into mainstream growth.
� Duopharma Biotech is broadening its therapeutic range to expand access to halalassured medicines.
� Preventive healthcare is expanding the company’ s focus beyond traditional medicines.
Wan Amir-Jeffery Wan Abdul Majid
FUTURE MEDICINES: Research and development( R & D) support Duopharma Biotech’ s efforts to advance pharmaceutical innovation and develop medicines that meet global and halal requirements.
Halal pharmaceuticals are moving beyond a niche market as demand for assured medicines grows. At the same time, Malaysian drugmaker Duopharma Biotech Berhad( Duopharma Biotech) seeks to strengthen the country’ s position in the sector through research, speciality therapies and international partnerships.
Over the past five years, analysis has shown that Malaysia’ s halal-certified pharmaceutical segment nearly doubled in size, sustaining more than 10 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate( CAGR).
“ Within this expansion, Duopharma Biotech’ s halal-certified portfolio accounted for an average of 41 per cent of the national halal pharma market between 2019 and 2024, underscoring our leadership position,” said Duopharma Biotech Group Chief Executive Officer Wan Amir-Jeffery Wan Abdul Majid.
The State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2025 / 26 put Muslim consumer spending on halal pharmaceuticals at US $ 112 billion in 2024 and projected it to reach US $ 146 billion by 2029.
“ Thus, Duopharma Biotech sees clear opportunities,” he said, adding that the company is combining its domestic base with global demand trends to reinforce Malaysia’ s role as a halal pharmaceutical hub.
“ We are expanding our therapeutic range to broaden access to halal-certified treatments across more categories, strengthening regional leadership by leveraging Malaysia’ s credibility in halal certification to penetrate new and high-growth markets, and deepening consumer trust by embedding halal integrity across the entire value chain.”
BEYOND MALAYSIA Taking halal medicines into international markets, however, involves challenges that extend beyond certification.
“ Each country requires extensive regulatory dossiers to register pharmaceutical products, and navigating these approval processes can be both time-consuming and resource-intensive,” he explained.
“ Duopharma Biotech is addressing these challenges by building regulatory expertise to streamline dossier submissions, forming strategic alliances with trusted distributors, and tailoring our market entry strategies to local contexts.
“ We also continue to advocate for greater recognition of halal pharmaceuticals as an added layer of assurance beyond efficacy and safety, embedding halal integrity across the value chain to strengthen consumer trust and reinforce Malaysia’ s leadership in this space.”
RESEARCH DRIVES INNOVATION Duopharma Biotech has significantly expanded its research and development capabilities to strengthen innovation, particularly in halal medicines.
The company established Duopharma Innovation Sdn Bhd as its research and development( R & D) arm, with an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, to support pharmaceutical research and compliance with global standards and halal requirements.
“ Our focus has broadened beyond generics into speciality therapy areas such as metabolic, oncology and nephrology, alongside a growing biosimilars portfolio developed through international collaborations.”
In 2025, the company launched Ibrelyn ®, a generic medication for breast cancer, alongside pharmacoeconomic study on iBreastExam device; a strategic move to revolutionize early detection and clinical evaluation of breast lumps for Malaysian women.