Biomedical research has potential to produce new Vietnamese drugs
Biomedical research by scientists nationwide has led to important findings that could produce new Vietnamese-branded drugs and medical treatments, but commercialisation of research results faces challenges, experts have said.
Biomedical research in the country has led to new findings that could be used to make new Vietnamese-branded drugs (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Biomedical research by scientists nationwide has led to importantfindings that could produce new Vietnamese-branded drugs and medicaltreatments, but commercialisation of research results faces challenges, expertshave said.
Dr Nguyen Dang Quan, deputy director of the HCM City Biotechnology Centre, saidthe centre was involved in basic and applied research in agriculture, food,health and other fields that could be used commercially.
Quan spoke at a conference on biotechnology and biomedicine held on March 30 bythe Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Centre for Vietnam Youth Talents,Science and Technology, in co-operation with Military Hospital 7A.
“Research on monoclonal antibodies, for example, could lead to a new drug totreat blood cancers for patients in the country,” he said.
A group of scientists at the University of Science, a member of VietnamNational University HCM City, are conducting research on redox nanoparticlesfor antimicrobial and anticancer therapies.
In their research, silica-containing redox nanoparticles 40-50nm in size areused in antibiotics to improve the solubility and efficiency of the drugs.
“Cancer and bacterial infections induced by antibiotic resistance are theleading causes of death globally and are strongly related to reactive oxygenspecies (ROS), which are signaling mociles that play an important role inmaintaining physiological functions of the body,” they said.
The high levels of ROS damage DNA, protein and lipids, which can lead to manykinds of disease including cancer and antibiotic resistance.
Most commercially available drugs have low bioavailability due to poor watersolubility, which limits their effectiveness and clinical application, theysaid.
Dr Pham Xuan Da, head of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s nationaloffice in the southern region, said that research results in thefield have shown practical application.
However, scientists face challenges commercialising their research results.
“The country does not have many large pharmaceutical groups to co-operate withresearchers in commercialisation,” Da said.
The Government should develop more comprehensive policies to address thisproblem, he added.
Quan said that his centre has many advanced machines capable of doinghigh-level research, but has had difficulty finding experienced and topscientists because of the low income offered.-VNS/VNA
The Coordinating Committee for the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre held its 29th session in Moscow on December 4 to assess the centre’s operation in the past year.
The 4th Pan-Asian Biomedical Science Conference convened in the central city of Da Nang on December 6, gathering some 200 delegates from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.
The IVACFLU-S vaccines, which have been produced in Việt Nam to protect against seasonal flu such as A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B, are now available on the market, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals under the Ministry of Health has said.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Biomedical research in the country has led to new findings that could be used to make new Vietnamese-branded drugs (Source: VNA) 
