The Russian pharmaceutical company Geropharm has received a Halal certificate for drugs intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and weight management. The relevant document was issued to the company by the International Center for Halal Standardization and Certification under the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation. Consequently, the manufacturer’s drugs have become the first GLP-1 class medications in Russia that comply with Islamic norms, GxP News was told by Geropharm’s press service.
The Halal status is granted to medicinal products provided they do not contain prohibited substances, including ethanol, blood, pork cells and tissues, as well as components derived from animals that were not slaughtered according to Islamic canon. The production is based on the method of peptide synthesis, which completely excludes the use of animal-derived raw materials.
Islam is the second largest religion in the Russian Federation in terms of the number of believers. For many patients, the presence of a Halal certificate becomes a decisive factor when choosing therapy and allows physicians to prescribe these drugs without additional religious restrictions.
Earlier, in 2024, Geropharm became the first pharmaceutical company in Russia to receive Halal certification for its line of insulins. At that time, the company stated that its modern insulins are not of animal origin but are synthesized using microorganisms, which eliminates the religious restrictions associated with the historical use of pork insulin.
The International Center for Halal Standardization and Certification under the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation is the only authorized body in Russia that confirms product compliance with Islamic norms.