Global biopharmaceutical company Biocon announced that its long-standing partner, Duopharma Biotech’s wholly owned subsidiary Duopharma (M) Sdn Bhd, has secured multiple insulin supply contracts worth more than RM225 million from Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MoH), further strengthening the two companies’ collaboration in the country’s diabetes pharmaceutical supply chain.
Under the agreements, Biocon Sdn. Bhd., the company’s Malaysian subsidiary based in Johor, will supply short-acting recombinant human insulin, insulin glargine and insulin aspart to Duopharma for distribution across Malaysia.
The contracts comprise a three-year agreement worth approximately RM155.27 million for human insulin, along with two separate two-year agreements valued at approximately RM18 million for insulin glargine and RM52.5 million for insulin aspart, bringing the total contract value to more than RM225 million.
Biocon said the partnership is aligned with the objectives of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), which aim to strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities and enhance medicine supply security, while ensuring continued access to affordable insulin therapies for people living with diabetes.
Biocon Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Shreehas Tambe said Malaysia has remained a key pillar of the company’s global insulin strategy for more than a decade. He noted that Biocon’s integrated insulin manufacturing facility in Johor, the largest of its kind in Asia, enables large-scale production to meet both domestic and international demand.
He added that the company will continue leveraging its Malaysian manufacturing base to expand access to affordable medicines while meeting growing healthcare needs worldwide.
Located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Biocon’s integrated insulin manufacturing facility has attracted more than US$600 million in cumulative investment since 2011, making it one of the largest foreign direct investments (FDI) in Malaysia’s biotechnology sector. The facility employs more than 1,100 people and has secured approvals from major international regulators, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) framework, making it the only manufacturing facility in Malaysia approved by both the FDA and EMA to produce sterile biologic products.