Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee. — Bernama pic
IPOH, Nov 11 — The ongoing collaboration between the Institute for Medical Research (MRI) and Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) is expected to develop more vaccine-related discoveries, including for Covid-19 and animal diseases in the country.
Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said VRI, which has laboratory service facilities for the study of the coronavirus vaccine, is expected to move forward with more findings to benefit all parties and industry players.
“We have seen how VRI has succeeded in creating many discoveries in terms of vaccine production for various animal diseases in the country. So, after the vaccines are developed by MRI, VRI will conduct pre-clinical studies on the effectiveness of the vaccine on animals.
“VRI has a complete facility for pre-clinical trials. We hope VRI will continue to move forward to conduct more research for animal diseases, thus playing a role in providing laboratory service facilities for the study of the Covid-19 vaccine,” he told reporters after visiting the Ipoh VRI here today.
Also present were Veterinary Services Department (DVS) director-general Datuk Dr Norlizan Mohd Noor and State Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Razman Zakaria.
Yesterday, the media reported that Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim said the government was collaborating to develop a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine through negotiation with the University of Pennsylvania in the United States of America and University of Chulalongkorn, Thailand.
Ahmad Amzad said the negotiations were currently in phase 2 and 3 of clinical studies, and it also emphasised the transfer of technology and expertise, in which the ministry is providing grants aimed at promoting research, development, commercialisation and innovation (R&D&I) in combating Covid-19. — Bernama