KUALA LUMPUR: Duopharma Biotech Bhd has become the first pharmaceutical company to receive halal certification for an oncology product.
In a statement today, the company said the certification was awarded by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM).
The product is currently approved as an adjuvant treatment for postmenopausal women with early breast cancer as well as a first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.
Produced at Duopharma Biotech's Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (HAPI) facility in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, the halal oncology product is supplied to both government and private healthcare hospitals in Malaysia.
It has recently been approved for export to Brunei and Singapore.
Duopharma Biotech group managing director Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar said the milestone halal certification for an oncology product manufactured at its HAPI facility was in line with the company's ESG commitment.
"We are making continuous efforts to provide consumers and patients with access to much-needed medicines and therapies – assured safe for use and effective, high in quality, hygienic and halal from the start.
"Our state-of-the-art HAPI facility plays a vital role in the fight against many diseases, enabling us to embrace innovation and technology to serve patient needs and expand access to specialised therapies," he said.
Duopharma Biotech's HAPI facility is the first cancer medicine manufacturing facility in Malaysia, kickstarting the company's foray into the oncology segment in 2019.
Currently, the facility produces generic treatments for breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer and blood cancer.
Since 1999, Duopharma Biotech has pioneered a range of Halal-certified health supplements, including CHAMPS, Flavettes, Proviton and Naturalle products, in compliance with MS 1500:2009 standards.