News Straits Times Press, 31 July 2006

BioNexus boost for biotech sector

By Kamarul Yunus
ahmadk@nstp.com.my

part of the Government's BioNexus project that will help Malaysia compete in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ng Lip Yong said.

BioNexus is essentially a network of centres of excellence comprising companies and institutions which specialise in specific biotechnology sub-sectors.

"The beginning of this network can already be seen in some of the facilities, infrastructure and human capital currently existing to some of the country's universities, research institutions and commercial centres," he said.

He was talking at the launch of the second international conference on woman's health and Asian traditional medicine in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Under the BioNexus programme, Ng said Mardi and Universiti Putra Malaysia will serve as the centre of excellence for agro-biotechnology, while Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as the centre of excellence for genomics and molecular biology and BioValley, near Dengkil as the centre of excellence for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is scheduled to launch the BioNexus project on August 17.

BioNexus is a renewed initiative by the government from what was previously called the BioValley. It will be a dedicated hub to bolster Malaysia's biotechnology sector.

The concept is almost similar to that of the successful Multimedia Super Corridor, which is a hub for information, communication and telecommunication companies in Malaysia.

However, BioNexus is not just about grouping a cluster of biotechnology firms to one area, but it hopes to bring together the best brains from global universities, research and development organisations, government agencies and private firms in one marketplace.