Saudi Arabia to manufacture vital medicines and vaccines
The Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Al-Khorayef, revealed that Riyadh is in talks with major international pharmaceutical companies to invest and establish factories for vital medicines and vaccines in the Kingdom, to meet the needs of the local market first, and then export the long-term.
According to the “Al-Sharq Bloomberg” newspaper, the Saudi Minister of Industry confirmed, on the sidelines of the Al-Ahsa Forum, that he felt great interest from these companies in building industries in Saudi Arabia. “We are currently conducting a detailed discussion with them about the quality of investments and products, we are working on developing a final vision for this matter.”
Last June, the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Chairman of the Vaccines and Vital Medicines Industry Committee, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, announced the launch of a number of investment opportunities in the vaccines and vital medicines industry, at a value of $3.4 billion.
The minister added that this comes in the realization of the Kingdom’s directions aimed at achieving drug and health security, and making Saudi Arabia an important center for this promising industry.
The minister stressed that the targeted pharmaceutical sectors in general, which value exceeds $5 billion, will pass through several stages, starting with vaccines and vital medicines, as the first stage will focus on localizing vaccine technologies, plasma, and insulin, according to what was reported by the Saudi Press Agency, “SPA”.
Al-Khorayef pointed out the importance of transferring its full technologies to contribute mainly to building the Kingdom’s own capabilities in these sectors and achieving health and drug security.
He revealed that the Vaccines and Vital Medicines Industry Committee will focus in the first phase on localizing basic children’s vaccines, building self-capacities, and the necessary manufacturing platforms to combat future pandemics.
The committee formed by the Council of Ministers’ decision in early March 2022, headed by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, is working to regulate and develop the vital pharmaceutical industry.
It also works to develop a strategy for regulating the vaccine and vital drug industry, programs and plans related to it, and supervise their implementation, set rules and standards for building vaccine and vital drug factories and take the necessary measures about building these factories.