KUALA LUMPUR - A government linked company (GLC)has been set up to do research and produce vaccines for contagious diseases like Influenza A(H1N1).

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said that the government had realised the importance of vaccines for the prevention of contagious diseasesand set up the company, 9BIO, under the Ministry of Finance.

"The company will carry out research and produce vaccines, not only for Malaysia but also other countries in the region," Rosnah told the Dewan Rakyat.

Rosnah added that Malaysia had not yet produced vaccines because the Institute of Medical Research was still carrying out studies to identify the genetics of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

HIN1 vaccines ordered

"The study and research is important to identify any mutation so that the process can be used to produce vaccines," said Rosnah.

Rosnah said the ministry was working with London-based international pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline that produces vaccines.

The government had placed orders for 400,000 doses of the A(H1N1) vaccine at a cost of RM14 million, and the first consignment of 46,000 doses had been received in November and another 78,000 doses are expected by year end while the remainder, by January 2010, said Rosnah.

Additional orders would be placed if the 400,000 was not enough.

The vaccines will be given to the front liners working at the country's 53 entry and exit points because they are the high risk group due to their direct involvement in the control of the disease, said Rosnah. - Malaysian Mirror