Becoming global halal testing leader

USM

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia is set to position itself as a global halal testing leader in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, with the joint venture between the Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals (iPharm) and Agilent Technologies Malaysia.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the co-operation would allow iPharm to fulfil its role in producing highly-skilled and qualified local expertise.

Ongkili said even though the five-year-old iPharm was still a newcomer, its achievements to date showed it to be a prime mover in high-technology research in the field.

"iPharm, together with its research partners from local public institutions of higher learning and local research institutes, had produced 40 post-graduate research candidates.

"iPharm's research work had also been published in high-impact journals internationally, as well as having six patents and seven potential prototypes commercialised under the research initiative and pharmaceutical development grant," he said at the launch of iPharm's RM128 million new complex here yesterday. Sited on a 4ha land, the complex comprised a biopharmaceutical and natural products building, a drug discovery and nutraceutical building as well as an animal home research facility building.

The complex is equipped with various laboratory tools such as an automatic sterilisation and cleaning system, modern and contemporary animal cages, an automatic building management system and other advanced tools in the field of toxicology. He said the joint venture has produced the Ipharm-Agilent global reference laboratory at the complex and the Agilent bioanalytical industry development programme.