Bernama,
March 10, 2008
BioNexus Firms Expected
To Increase To 70 By Year-end
KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- BioNexus-status
companies are expected to increase to 70 by year-end
from 42 last year, Malaysian Biotechnology
Corporation (BiotechCorp)'s chief executive officer
Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood said Monday.
He said nine new companies joined the industry in
January this year, making a total of 51 BioNexus-status
companies currently.
"So far we have seen a lot of developments in the
industry. We see a lot of international
collaborations coming to the country after the
National Biotech Policy was announced. If you look
at the trend, we are pretty confident that we will
be able to meet the target," he told reporters here
today.
BioNexus status is awarded to qualifying
biotechnology companies, making them eligible for
incentives under the BioNexus Bill of Guarantees.
Asked whether the latest political changes in the
country will any impact on investments in the
biotech industry, Iskandar Mizal said: "I do not see
any issue coming out from this. So far there is no
significant impact on the industry."
BiotechCorp, established in 2005, is the lead
development agency for the country's biotechnology
industry.
On another matter, Iskandar Mizal said Malaysian
Genomics Resources Sdn Bhd (MGRC) will be bringing
the Washington University Genome Sequencing Centre
(WUGSC) to Malaysia on March 25 as part of an
Eminent Speaker Series event.
WUGSC is one of the world's largest DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) sequencing centres and known
for cutting-edge studies on deciphering the genetic
code of various organisms as well as of critical
diseases such as cancer, he said.
The institute is also a customer of MGRC's holding
company, Synamatix Sdn Bhd, a pioneer Malaysian
bioinformatics company.
"The intention of the Eminent Speaker Series is to
provide the opportunity for participants in the
Malaysian biotechnology industry to hear from,
discuss, clarify and exchange opinions on the key
trends and developments from subject matter experts
in biotechnology," Iskandar Mizal said.
He said the event also featured the range and depth
of expertise and capabilities being developed in
BioNexus companies through successful international
partnerships and collaborations. |
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