KUALA LUMPUR - The status of vaccines being developed under the National Vaccine Development Roadmap (PPVN) is now at the stage of preclinical trials on animals, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
He said the ministry was prepared to ensure that good manufacturing practice (GMP) was observed in the development of vaccines in the country by implementing the required regulations and conventions.
"We have gone into preclinical trials on animals, and we are prepared to ensure that GMP conditions are observed,” he told a press conference after the launch of the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre here today.
PPVN was launched in November last year in an effort to make the country a hub for vaccine producers and to increase confidence in the use of vaccines.
The implementation of PPVN will not only focus on the COVID-19 vaccine but also vaccines for other diseases, like head and neck cancer vaccine by the Cancer Research Centre.
Three projects are slated for implementation through PPVN, including a project for producing two types of COVID-19 vaccine using inactivated virus and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) developed by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR). - BERNAMA