Duopharma mulls making cannabis-based healthcare products

KUALA LUMPUR: Duopharma Biotech Bhd is looking at the possibilities of developing cannabis-related healthcare products but is still waiting for the regulatory framework from the government.

Group managing director Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar said Duopharma was in discussions with some parties to seek options on the plans.

"At the moment we do not have any cannabis-related products in our current portfolio. However, we are one of the largest suppliers of what we call dangerous drugs, for the Malaysian government.

"Yes we are working with a few parties in terms of looking at cannabis-related healthcare products," he said at the signing of a collaboration agreement with US-based The Live Green Co here today.

He said the company still needed to understand the regulatory framework on the matter before it could shift all its efforts towards the development of the products.

"We have been working with some companies from Australia and those in the region to look at options. But until the regulations are clarified, this is not something we are putting all our efforts behind. It is one of the many projects that we are working on within Duopharma," he added.

On the shortages of pharmaceutical products in the market, Leonard said the issue was only temporary and would be adjusted in the near term.

He explained that the forecasting of the imported supplies for the industry was done between six and nine months in advance, which was among the factors that led to the supply shortages.

"A lot of people may not realise it but the forecasting for the import of pharmaceutical products goes between six and nine months in advance.

"So if you turn back the clock, people who were putting in the forecast did not know we would move into an endemic phase as we were in the middle of movement control order six to nine months back.

"Now that quantity has been proven insufficient but it is something that can be adjusted in the near term," said Leonard.

Meanwhile, Duopharma will collaborate with The Live Green Co to explore the use of plant ingredients and technology to replace animal, synthetic and ultra-processed ingredients to meet consumer demand for more sustainable wellness foods and pharmaceuticals.

The collaboration will involve development, manufacturing and commercialisation of plant-only wellness foods and plant-based pharmaceuticals and for Duopharma's consumer healthcare range.

It also entails the development of plant-based pharmaceutical products by substituting ingredients that are animal-based or synthetic and involves specialty product development through research and development collaboration to create a new range of plant-only functional foods.

"Through this collaboration with The Live Green Co,  Duopharma is able to expand the number of plant-only wellness foods and plant-based pharmaceuticals that we can offer to consumers, thus expanding our market potential, while simultaneously reducing our carbon footprint from non-sustainable ingredients and under-optimised manufacturing processes," said Leonard.

The collaboration will see at least two reformulated products offered to consumers by 2024.

Leonard said leading consumer brands that would soon carry plant-only or plant-based tags included Flavettes, Champs, Proviton, Uphamol and Naturalle.

Related Articles