New Straits Times, April 30, 2007

Dull? Maybe? Important? Yes. Money Making? Absolutely.

Malaysia will send its biggest-ever delegation to the BIO 2007 convention in the US. For many, however, biotechnology remains a dreary subject which has little impact on their lives. The government and the industry want to change that perception.

MONOCLONAL antibodies, transfection, humanisation technology: What do these terms mean to most Malaysians? The safe assumption would be this: Absolutely.

nothing. However, these are common terms in a sector that is gaining prominence and momentum in the country.

Malaysia has set its sights on becoming a biotechnology hub and the government has introduced numerous measures to boost the sector’s development and growth, but to the public, the word "biotechnology" conjures up images of people in white lab coats huddled around bubbling beakers and hapless mice.

Some think biotechnology only involves genetic research, thanks to Dolly the sheep, cloning, movies and pop culture.

People, therefore, see it as something far removed from their lives.

That thinking is way off the mark, and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has taken great pains to de-mystify biotechnology and make the concept appealing to the masses.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis says this is important as the country is blessed with potential, and the economic opportunities provided by biotechnology are enormous.

"Nobody should be left out of this push forward."

Speaking ahead of the BIO 2007 convention in Boston, the US, from May 6 to 9, Jamaluddin says there remains a misconception that biotechnology is only about medicine and pharmaceuticals when, in fact, it includes other areas, such as, agriculture and food processing.

Biotechnology, a branch of technology that uses living organisms or biological systems to modify humans and their environment, touches almost everything in life.

Even the simple tapai and the use of yeast to make bread rise has some biotechnological aspect in it. It is also behind every stronger, better strain of oil palm or padi, cheaper medicine and fuel, and more effective vaccine.

Inno Biologics Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Dr Mohd Nazlee Kamal says biotechnology has a great impact on many spheres of life, including health and wellness.

As an example, the first major product of biotechnology was insulin.

Inno Biologics (InnoBio), a company owned by Ministry of Finance Incorporated, will develop a biological-based drug for the treatment and diagnosis of colorectal cancer, which it hopes to bring into the market by 2013.

"This drug will be between 30 and 50 per cent cheaper than the ones in the market," says Mohd Nazlee.

He says reports have highlighted that Asia’s cancer rate may jump by almost 60 per cent to 7.1 million new cases a year by 2020 and that newer cancer drugs are too costly for most countries in Asia.

"This country and the rest of Asia have to carry out partnering and discovery work to find a solution to this problem."

This new endeavour by InnoBio will, in this regard, have a great impact on people.

"InnoBio has licensed the technology called ‘humanisation technology of antibody’ from CIMAB, the commercial arm of the Cuban Centre of Molecular Immunology. The technology transfer will take place next month. A Cuban scientist will be here for six weeks to train our scientists. We have the manufacturing and marketing rights and are contributing to its development.

"Product development work will involve local research entities such as Nuclear Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Medical Biotechnology Institute, Institute of Medical Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysian Bio-diagnostics Research, and National Institute of Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical."

He says InnoBio, a BioNexus status company (BioNexus status entitles the holder to tax incentives, freedom of ownership and unrestricted employment of knowledge workers) is also involved in cell therapy and stem cell work.

"We have achieved our first milestones and are now a full-fledged contract manufacturing organisation."

Achieving such milestones does not, however, mean a smooth journey for all biotech ventures.

There is competition from other countries, and a brain-drain issue to contend with as well as funding.

Mohd Nazlee says there is also a need to create a platform to enable the private sector and universities to have an overview of what the other has or needs.

"The scientific community and the industry need to interact so that they can understand each other’s needs. A platform will enable universities to see what’s interesting and find out what the new trends in research are." The Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd (MBC), the body assisting the government in its biotechnology push, has created strategies to spur development of the industry.

Its chief executive officer, Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, says that as a result, the industry is taking shape.

"Since the launch of the National Biotechnology Policy in 2005, many initiatives have been taken to make sure the industry prospers. If you were an entrepreneur, will you want to do business if the environment is not right? Obviously not. By creating a conducive environment, the government is showing its commitment."

Malaysia hopes to become a global player in the industry by 2020, generating at least 20 home-grown companies. The industry is expected to be worth more than RM3 trillion by 2015 and with a market capitalisation of RM2.6 trillion worldwide.

The sector is expected to contribute five per cent to gross domestic product by 2020 and create 280,000 jobs.

Iskandar says biotechnology is based on science and not cheap labour.

"But science on its own means nothing. It has to be brought to the market. Technology has to be used. It is not just about research and development but has to be expanded all the way to the market." Malaysia hopes to showcase its achievements as well as its emergence as a biotechnology investment destination on a grand scale at BIO 2007. This is the third time it is taking part in the convention that brings together biotechnology companies, academic institutions and related organisations from more than 30 countries.

Malaysia is participating as an exhibitor as well as conference delegate.

Says Jamaluddin: "This year’s event will see the largest participation from us with 300 delegates. It underlines our commitment to create a conducive environment for the industry, as well as for foreign investments in the sector.

"Participants at BIO 2007 will also be made more aware of MBC’s function as the one-stop agency for all things related to biotechnology in Malaysia."

Adds Iskandar: "People do not know that biotechnology is not just about gene splicing. It can create a lot of wealth. It can create economic value and societal well-being."