Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will collaborate with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-headquartered SaudiVax to design a manufacturing plant to produce biologics and vaccines for the Middle East and North Africa. Merck KGaA will also provide its integrated Contract Development Manufacturing Services as part of the partnership.

SaudiVax intends to be the first Saudi company to manufacture halal vaccines.

“This partnership brings together our shared commitment to expand access to life-saving and life-enhancing therapies,” said Sébastien Ribault, head of end-to-end contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) services, life science business sector at Merck KGaA, in a statement.

The goal of the partnership is to establish SaudiVax as a self-sufficient cGMP manufacturer that complies with international regulations.

Merck KGaA will also assist in the training of SaudiVax employees at a GMP plant in Martillac, France.

SaudiVax also has a range of other strategic partnerships with firms such as PnuVax, Voirx, PanGen Biotech, Cytiva, TAQNIA and Johnson & Johnson.

Note: A prior version of this article confused Merck KGaA with the unaffiliated company Merck & Co.