MALAYSIA STRENGTHENS VACCINE DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM THROUGH INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON PRECLINICAL VACCINE RESEARCH
PULAU PINANG, 8-9 June 2026 – Malaysia took another significant step towards strengthening its national vaccine development ecosystem through the organisation of the seminar “Navigating the Preclinical Development of Novel Candidate Adjuvanted Vaccines Towards Successful First-in-Human Clinical Trials” held from 8 to 9 June 2026 at Eastin Hotel, Pulau Pinang.
The high-impact seminar brought together distinguished international and local experts, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, regulators, and industry representatives to discuss critical aspects of vaccine development, particularly in advancing novel adjuvanted vaccine candidates from preclinical research towards first-in-human clinical trials.
The programme was organised by the Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (IPharm-NIBM) with co-organisation by Pusat Kanser Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (PKTAAB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The seminar was supported under the Vaccine Program Training Grant (LPV), an initiative recognised within Malaysia’s National Vaccine Development Roadmap (NVDR).
The opening ceremony was officiated by the Chief Executive Officer of NIBM, Prof. Datuk Wira Dr. Raha Abdul Rahim, FASc, who highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration and talent development in strengthening Malaysia’s preparedness and resilience in vaccine innovation and biotechnology advancement.
Over the two-day programme, participants were exposed to global perspectives and cutting-edge scientific developments through keynote addresses and expert presentations delivered by renowned speakers from organisations including the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute (MGVI), National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM), Chulalongkorn University, Genoskin USA, and leading Malaysian research institutions.
Among the key topics discussed were regulatory expectations for first-in-human vaccine trials, management of preclinical data, in-vivo safety and efficacy studies, vaccine quality assurance under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environments, epidemiological data utilisation, and emerging challenges associated with adjuvanted vaccines.
The seminar also served as an important platform for strengthening collaboration between academia, government agencies, healthcare institutions, and biotechnology industries while fostering knowledge exchange and networking opportunities among experts in the vaccine development ecosystem.
Director of PKTAAB-USM, Prof. Madya Dr. Bakiah Shaharuddin, in her closing remarks, emphasised the importance of continuous scientific collaboration and capacity building in positioning Malaysia as a competitive contributor in global vaccine research and innovation.
Meanwhile, Director of IPharm, NIBM, Prof. Madya Dr. Tye Gee Jun, expressed hope that the seminar would catalyse stronger partnerships and accelerate translational research efforts towards the successful development of safe, effective, and innovative vaccines for the benefit of public health.
The seminar reflects Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to enhancing scientific excellence, strengthening translational research capabilities, and advancing national aspirations in vaccine development and biomedical innovation.
Text prepared by: Nurul Amira Mohd Ali Text edited by: Dr. Nor Effa Syazuli Zulkafli Photo: Nurul Amira Mohd Ali
