MyEG has announced that it has signed an exclusive deal with Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co Ltd (Zhifei) to obtain Malaysian Halal certification for the Chinese pharmaceutical company’s COVID-19 vaccine. The deal also allows MyEG to secure a 3-year exclusivity to distribute the vaccine in Malaysia.
According to the official statement, both firms have signed a MoU and have agreed to cooperate in conducting Phase 3 clinical trials of Zhifei’s COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia as well as achieving compliance to Halal status requirements to secure Halal certification requirements from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). The Halal accreditation by JAKIM will ensure increased acceptance of the vaccine among global Muslim population.
MyEG says that the Phase 3 trial will make Zhifei’s vaccine one of the first to undergo final stage trials in Malaysia under the purview of the Ministry of Health. Zhifei is currently one of 5 Chinese companies conducting Phase 3 clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines in various parts of the world. Upon successful Phase 3 trials, MyEG will be the sole distributor for the vaccine in Malaysia.
Several weeks ago, the Malaysian government has signed a deal to secure 12.8 million doses of Pfizer Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine which is enough to vaccinate 6.4 million people. The first batch is expected to arrive in Q1 2021 with priority given to frontliners.
Health D-G Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had emphasised that all COVID-19 vaccines must get Ministry of Health approval before it can be administered. He denied allegation that being first in line to get COVID-19 vaccines were equivalent to test subjects as a great amount of research and evaluation is needed before approving the use of any vaccine.
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