Drug plant to specialize in halal compliance

Vivapharm, a startup producer of halal-certified pharmaceuticals, kicked off construction this week of a $26-million, 100,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in tiny Brunei, a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. Brunei already boasts the Halal Brand Project, an initiative to certify foods as halal, or lawful, for Muslim consumption. Vivapharm will extend the certification effort to drugs and nutraceuticals produced via GMP processes. It will focus on OTC and prescription drugs for Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Western Europe and the U.S. The company is funded by Canada's Viva Pharmaceutical and investors. Story | Article