Malaysia may soon produce dengue vaccine

Scientists will soon develop a new type of the vaccine to treat against a centuries-old pestilence, dengue fever.

The vaccine, the first in the world, is being developed through a joint effort between Pahang Technology Resources Sdn Bhd (PTR) and the Russian government.

It is targeted for production in 2018.

PTR chief executive officer Sazali Mohd Nor said the entire project development would take at least five years, noting that the period was necessary to ensure that it was completely fit and safe to be used.

“The first two years will involve research and development, construction design, product design and formulation as well as preclinical studies on rodents in institutes in Russia.

“During this process, Malaysian scientists will participate via an exchange programme to acquire knowledge and technology.

“The second phase of another two years will involve preclinical studies on primates in Malaysia,” he said after the opening of the biotechnology investment and convention on Thursday.

Sazali said that towards the end of the fourth year, the vaccine would be registered with the Health Ministry.

He added the intellectual property of the vaccine would be co-shared by Malaysian and Russian parties.

“By the beginning of the fifth year, pre-marketing and sales will commence. A total of RM240 million will be invested over five years for the three phases,” he said.

A special purpose vehicle, Pahang Applied Advance Pharma Sdn Bhd (PAAP), has also been set up to launch a new full-scale project on transfer of technology from Russia to Malaysia.

Among the transfers include training qualified Malaysian personnel in the field of genetic vaccine, intellectual property sharing, research and development of dengue fever vaccine and product commercialisation and construction of a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical plant in Gambang.

Sazali said PAAP would have the right to manufacture, promote and market the product throughout the Asia-Pacific region and Islamic countries.

He said the return of investment was expected to be achieved within two years of production.

Dengue fever is endemic in over 100 countries in Asia, the Pacific, America, Africa and the Caribbean.

Currently there is no vaccine or drug against dengue, which is spread by mosquitoes and causes fever and sometimes excruciating joint pain and muscle aches. Patients typically recover on their own, though severe cases need medical support.

Occasionally, the illness progresses to dengue hemorrhagic fever, a potentially fatal complication in which blood leaks through vessel walls. A dengue infection confers lifetime immunity to that particular type. But subsequent infection with a second type increases the likelihood of serious illness.

With that in mind, vaccine developers have strived to protect against all four types simultaneously.