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1st Technical, Strategic Cooperation to Manufacture Human Vaccines Agreement

31 October 2010

In the framework of the Ministry's efforts and strategic steps in the medical security field, Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz AL Rabeeah, attended Sunday morning 31/10/2010 at the Ministry divan, the signing of the first agreement on technical and strategic cooperation to manufacture human vaccines. The agreement was between Arabio and the Ministry of Health on one side and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics on the other side. Hereby Novartis will supervise transferring the technology and manufacture its products in Arabio's factory located in Makkah for 20 years.

Dr. AL Rabeeah expressed his gratitude about this agreement, hoping that it will contribute effectively in having medical security in the Kingdom, and enabling it to be a great resource for local pharmaceutical industries. In addition, he wished the best of luck for all parties, and the agreement's objectives to be accomplished.

The agreement was signed by The Ministry of Health Planning and Development Deputy, Dr. Mohammad bin Hamza Khusheim, representing the Ministry, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arabio, Mr. Khalid AL Jaffali and Chief Executive Officer of Novartis, Mr. Joseph Jimenez.

Arabio the Arabic biopharmaceutical company specialized in human vaccines is the only company in KSA and the Arab world specialized in producing biologicals and vaccines in particular. The company will export its products to Gulf countries in addition to Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. It can also export to some African countries like Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti.

Arabio manufacturing facility is located in the industrial zone of Makkah. It has an area of 10.000 m2 with the possibility of expanding in the future, where it will be able to produce 7 million doses of vaccine on the form of "vial" shots in addition to 9 million doses of vaccine on the form of syringes on its first stage. The production should start by the beginning of 2011. This factory will provide jobs to citizens in the field of biopharmaceutical industry.

The factory was facilitated with modern equipments and machineries to follow the international standards and fit the standards of quality of this sensitive industry and the qualifications of US FDA, EMEA and WHO.

Arabio is supposed to produce new meningitis vaccine, seasonal influenza vaccine in addition to 5-in-1 vaccine (against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilus influenza and Hepatitis B)