KUALA LUMPUR: Pharmaniaga Bhd is poised to expand its presence in international markets, starting with Asean, Africa and the Middle East, followed by Europe in the next two to three years.
Group managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope said Pharmaniaga was setting up its footprint on the international market by supplying pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products.
"We are currently submitting our products registration in Thailand, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and some part of Europe such as Portugal," he said at a virtual press conference yesterday.
Zulkarnain said the pharmaceutical company had initiated about 30,000 doses of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine exports to Myanmar, while negotiating with other countries in the region, as well as several African nations.
"We hope to conclude these deals by the first half (1H) of the year. Vaccine is one of key areas to supply to governments and international markets. We expect to conclude deals with Thailand before the end of February and the Philippines by 1H of 2022," he said after Pharmaniaga shareholders' meeting today.
Zulkarnain said Pharmaniaga would leverage its expertise as Malaysia's leading technically viable pharmaceutical company, which includes almost 300 subject matter experts in various disciplines. This comprised pharmacists, chemists, regulatory affairs and clinical affairs specialists.
The group expects to strengthen its capability in vaccine development and manufacturing.
"Currently, we are partnering with several renowned companies such as Serum Institute of India, SK Bioscience Korea, Sinovac China and Bionet Asia Thailand. We will also strengthen our regulatory affairs division by setting up a new Scientific Advisory Group consisting of world-renowned scientists. Their names will be announced soon," he said.
Pharmaniaga has more than 320 approved products that are currently manufactured at its plants.
"These products are registered in those countries, they can be exported. We foresee this effort will be achieved in two to three years and will be carried out by working closely with established international partners in those regions," he said.
Meanwhile, he said the group had allocated about RM295 million in capital expenditure for the financial year ending December 31, 2022 as part oits expansion mainly in the Klang Valley, Sabah and Sarawak.
Of the total, RM180 million has been earmarked for five new warehouses development in the next five years.
The group expects Indonesia to contribute the bulk of its revenue, leveraging on the country's growing 270 million population.
It has established its presence in Indonesia, mainly for logistics and distribution as well as manufacturing facility in Bandung.
"There is growth in revenue for our Indonesian subsidiaries. We have to do marketing and approach how Indonesian are doing the business as we need to understand its culture and penetrate the market," he said, adding that Pharmaniaga was well positioned to export its research and development via its manufacturing and distribution of its products in Indonesia.
Deputy managing director Mohamed Iqbal Abdul Rahman said Pharmaniaga would also keen to venture into the production of other type of Covid-19 vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) and sub-unit protein variant protection with lower side effects.
"We believe demand for vaccines would likely to continue until 2025. We also consider to do fill and finish for Omicron specific vaccines," he added.
