Myanmar Pharmaceuticals Enterprise (MPE) of the Ministry of Industry will expand its anti-snake venom production to over 200,000 units per year and export to ASEAN regions, according to Dr Aung Khine, Managing Director of the MPE.
The Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) of MPE produces Bivalent anti-snake venom that can treat both types of venom from vipers and cobras and exports to ASEAN countries.
“ The Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) produces about 120,000 units yearly. It can make double production as one new Freeze-Dryer Machine for anti-snake venom was installed at the factory on 14 August. Myanmar is an agricultural country and the demand for anti-snake venom is high for rural people. Therefore, we will expand the production as per the demand and export to ASEAN countries where we have a solid market,” he said.
The factory currently produces the anti-snake venom in freeze-dried form that can be stored for five years in rural areas that have no access to electricity.
The factory also purchases the things required for producing anti-venom like horse serum and snakes and about 500 horses are raised.
The monument of BPI was erected by the former Prime Minister U Nu on 23 April 1954. U Win Maung , the then president, formally opened it in the name of Burma Pharmaceutical Industry-BPI. BPI started manufacturing 41 categories of medicine and six kinds of vaccines. — ASH/KTZH
