A state-run pharmaceutical enterprise in Laos and three Chinese agencies have agreed to share their work with the aim of bolstering research in the field of traditional medicine. 

The Lao entity in this partnership has been named as the State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3 in Vientiane, while the three Chinese partners are Kmoeba (Zhuhai Hengqin) Biomedical Co., Ltd., Guangdong Engineering Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine, and National Chi Nan University.

The four parties formalised their partnership in a ceremony attended by the Managing Director of State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3, Dr Lahounh Chanthabout; Chairman of the Guangdong Engineering Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr  Tao Zhu; and a senior official from Kmoeba Biomedical Co., Ltd. and National Chi Nan University.

The agreement signed at the ceremony aims to enhance the capacity of officials and expand trade and the supply chain around traditional medicine between Laos and China.

Another aim of the partnership is to develop innovation and technology in relation to traditional medicine and promote international cooperation, while also adhering to legal requirements to ensure quality and safety,

The four parties will implement the agreed areas of cooperation through joint participation in research projects, the establishment of a laboratory, and workshops, seminars, meetings and conferences.

Dr Lahounh said cooperation between the state and private sectors is important for the development of traditional medicine, so that plant remedies can be used more widely in the treatment of diseases.

Cooperation with private companies will reduce the amount of money needed by the government to pay technical staff and State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3 will take part in a feasibility study on the development and wider use of plant extracts.

The private companies will be responsible for collaboration in research and provide technical staff to work towards the stated goals.

The government encourages the use of traditional medicine in the prevention and treatment of disease, both in urban locations and in remote areas where access to health facilities is limited.

State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3 was used in 2020 to manufacture Molacovir, an oral medication developed by scientists in the United States for use in the treatment of Covid-19.