Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia is set to produce its first locally manufactured human vaccine as early as 2028, marking a step towards reducing its dependence on imported vaccines.
According to The Star, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) will protect against 13 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, which can cause serious illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang (pic) said the vaccine is being developed through a technology transfer programme involving local pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga Bhd and a partner from China.
Currently, Malaysia imports all its vaccines from countries including the United States, France, Belgium, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand and Indonesia.
Chang said local vaccine production would strengthen Malaysia's health security and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, especially during future health crises.
He added that Malaysia is also developing other vaccine-related projects, including a hexavalent vaccine for children, to build local vaccine development capabilities by 2030 or earlier.
