Vietnam has entered into a landmark biopharmaceutical technology transfer agreement with Russia that will enable local production of advanced biological drugs and vaccines, marking a significant milestone in the country's pharmaceutical development strategy. The agreement between Vietnam's VNVC Vaccine and Biological Products Plant and Russia's Medsintez Pharmaceutical Company was signed in the presence of Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and Vietnamese Health Minister Dao Hong Lan.
Technology Transfer and Manufacturing Capabilities
Under the comprehensive agreement, Medsintez will transfer advanced biological drug manufacturing technology to VNVC, enabling the Vietnamese facility to produce a range of critical medications under international standards. The partnership encompasses collaboration in research and development, clinical trials, and distribution of high-quality pharmaceutical products throughout Vietnam and the broader ASEAN region.
The manufacturing portfolio will include several high-value biological products: recombinant Albumin and recombinant Insulin, along with both single-use and reusable insulin pens. The facility will also produce diabetes medications including liraglutide and semaglutide, representing access to modern GLP-1 receptor agonists for Vietnamese patients.
Additional products planned for local production include Heparin, an anticoagulant used for prevention and treatment of thrombotic complications that can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, or pulmonary embolism. The antiviral drug Triazavirin and follicle-stimulating hormone for infertility treatment round out the initial product slate.
Dengue Fever Research Initiative
A particularly significant aspect of the collaboration involves joint clinical research on Triazavirin for treating dengue fever, a disease that currently lacks specific treatment options. Dengue fever represents a serious public health challenge in Vietnam, causing hundreds of thousands of cases and dozens of deaths annually. The clinical research program could potentially provide the first targeted therapy for this mosquito-borne viral infection.
Strategic Healthcare Partnership
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko emphasized that the cooperation aims to benefit public health and improve healthcare quality through mutual collaboration. Vietnamese Health Minister Dao Hong Lan expressed appreciation for Russia's decades-long support in training doctors, supplying medicines, vaccines, and modern medical technologies.
"Collaboration between research institutes, high-tech medical centers, and pharmaceutical enterprises of the two countries will create significant development opportunities, particularly in key areas such as cancer treatment, drug and vaccine production, and biomedical innovation," stated Minister Dao Hong Lan.
Implementation Timeline and Strategic Impact
The VNVC factory plans to begin production of new generation vaccines and advanced biological drugs by the end of 2027, with manufacturing intended to serve multiple countries in the region. This timeline aligns with Vietnam's Pharmaceutical Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision extending to 2045, and supports implementation of Politburo Resolutions No. 57 and 72.
The agreement represents a practical partnership between research institutes and high-tech medical centers of both countries, with particular emphasis on advanced cancer treatment capabilities and production of crucial medicines and vaccines. The initiative supports Vietnam's strategic goals for scientific and technological advancement while addressing critical public health innovation needs across the ASEAN region.
