Javed Ghulam, CEO of AJ Research & Pharma, offers insights into the dynamic pharma industry in Malaysia and what it takes to be a competitive player in the region.   Being part of AJ Pharmaceuticals Holdings, what is the scope of operations specific to AJ Research & Pharma? AJ Research & Pharma is part of the Aljomaih Group. In 2014, there was a decision to enter the healthcare market and Malaysia was chosen as the center of operations for the industry. AJ Pharmaceuticals was formulated in 2014 and comprises of two subsidiaries – AJ Research & Pharma (AJRP) focusing on pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and AJ Biologics (AJB) mainly focusing on vaccines. AJ Pharmaceuticals had a recent development in Europe after acquiring a vaccine company in Denmark called Statens Serum Institut (SSI). At AJRP, we are focused on patient treatment whether it be prescription drugs, health supplements, or herbal. When we started in 2014, we began by licensing European products for the Malaysian market. We strongly believe these products are some of the highest quality to bring to the market. AJRP has a full-fledged operational team in Malaysia and we have a strong presence in Asia, particularly in Pakistan, Singapore, MENA (Middle East and North Africa), the Philippines and Vietnam.   How has AJRP developed since it first entered the healthcare industry in 2014? We started by acquiring the brand “Chewies”, a children’s multivitamin, from the Chemical Company of Malaysia (CCM). We expanded the brand in Malaysia and took it to ten other countries around the world. Originally, AJRP started as a pediatric health company which later developed more segments in its portfolio such as women’s health and now, cardiometabolic products.

AJRP is one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia. In terms of growth percentage, we have one of the highest in the industry - between 70 and 80 percent annually