Hovid gets back one manufacturing licence

Company can now resume operations at its Chemor plant

PETALING JAYA: Perak-based Hovid Bhd, which had the manufacturing licences of two of its plants revoked in January, can now resume operations in one of the facilities.

This follows the healthcare and pharmaceutical company getting back the manufacturing licence for its Chemor plant in Perak yesterday from the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau of the Health Ministry, while the manufacturing licence for its Ipoh plant remains pending the completion of corrective actions.

In its filing with Bursa Malaysia, Hovid said the manufacturing licence for its Chemor plant was valid from March 6, 2017. It has to be renewed three months prior to the expiry date on Dec 31, 2017.

“Hovid has implemented increased measures in ensuring stringent controls for the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) processes in order to have our Chemor plant’s licence reinstated by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

“We would also like to assure our customers that our quality procedures and standards at the Chemor plant are fully in place,” Hovid said in the statement. “At the same time, we are still cooperating with the NPRA on the licence reinstatement for our plant in Ipoh,” it added.

Hovid said corrective actions for its Ipoh plant, the manufacturing licence of which remains pending, were in progress.

“Hovid targets to complete the necessary corrective actions at the Ipoh plant to comply with the Current GMP (CGMP) required by the NPRA by the end of March 2017, and submit the necessary reports to the NPRA immediately thereafter,” the company said.

“The re-issuance of the licence will be subject to the NPRA being satisfied with our corrective actions taken,” it added.

Hovid said it would estimate to receive the decision from the NPRA for its Ipoh plant by the end of May 2017.

Recall, the Health Ministry in January this year had repealed the manufacturing licences of both of Hovid’s facilities in Perak.

The revocation order came following an audit by the NPRA on Hovid’s facilities, which found that the latter’s CGMP compliance was not acceptable and its pharmaceutical quality system did not comply with the latest CGMP requirements.

The re-issuance of the licences would be subject to the NPRA being satisfied with the outcome of its audit.

Hovid noted that the revocation of the manufacturing licences would affect about 4.63 sen of its turnover per share, based on its audited results for the financial year ended June30,2016.