The world right now is all excited about biotechnology. The first half of the last century was called the "era of physics". It saw the development of a branch of science that culminated in the nuclear bomb. The second half saw the rise of chemistry, which resulted in the development of numerous life-saving drugs and the rise of the drug and chemical industries. But while the physics and chemistry domains are still active, it is now biology's turn.
While biotechnology started when we quit our hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the Fertile Crescent some 8,000 years ago, the term itself was coined only in 1919 by Hungarian agricultural engineer Karl Ereky. Of late, this has been shortened to simply "biotech".
Definition
Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science and medicine. Of the many different definitions available, the one formulated by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity is the broadest: "Biotechnology means any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof to make or modify products or processes for specific use."
Biotech has also been defined as the clever use of organisms to do practical things and to provide useful products.
The biotech rainbow
As biotechnology has a wide array of applications, some experts define it in colour codes. Red biotechnology is applied to medical processes. Some examples are the designing of organisms to produce antibiotics and the engineering of genetic cures through gene manipulation. This is the sexiest application — one that promises the greatest returns but is fraught with difficulties, delays and extreme competition. Drug companies are prepared to invest billions and wait for years before seeing profits.
White biotechnology (also known as grey biotechnology) is the science applied to industrial processes. An example is the designing of an organism to produce a useful chemical.
Green biotechnology is applied to agricultural processes. An example is the creation of crops that yield more nutrition or survive better against pests. This is truly the first form of biotech and the one that has constantly and consistently yielded returns over the ages.
Blue biotechnology has also been used to describe the marine and aquatic applications of biotechnology, but its use is relatively rare.
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field using computational techniques. It plays a key role in various areas, such as functional genomics, structural genomics and proteomics. It forms a key component in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.
Malaysian biotech
On April 28, 2005, the prime minister signalled Malaysia's serious entry into the global biotech space with the launch of the National Biotechnology policy. However, as per my argument in Ernst & Young's Global Biotech country report of Malaysia, which I prepared, Malaysia has been in biotech since the 1980s.
We have been supporting the industry with research and development resources in agriculture biotech. This is most logical, given our strong agricultural base. Naturally, crops like oil palm, rubber and rice have benefited. Some work has also been done on herbs. This has increased over the years with even collaboration on the international level.
There was limited work done in the key areas of biotech — medical, healthcare and industry.
The National Biotech Directorate was set up in 1995 within the Ministry of Science. In this, biotech was one of the five core technologies identified as the vital engines of growth in the just concluded Eighth Malaysia Plan.
Despite this, the industry is still very much in its infancy, with only about 30 companies and a market share of not more than 0.5% of biotech revenue generated in Asia-Pacific.
Indeed, the 80ha BioValley launched in May 2003, which is today a large construction site with a few buildings, may have been ambition ahead of action. This is something the nation has to address and move on.
All parties in the country now need to work to prove that Malaysia will ultimately deliver on its huge biotechnology promise. Indeed, an ambitious target of developing 20 world-class biotech companies by 2020 has been set. That is just 14 years away!
Differentiation
With limited resources, fierce global competition and a somewhat delayed entry into the global biotech marketplace, Malaysia needs to focus. We must appreciate the money-making dictum of "riches in the niches".
We need to develop our strengths and compete in niches where we know we will make the money. The whole rainbow of biotech is so inviting and exciting. Yet, we should focus. The colour of choice is GREEN.
We need to reinvent the rules of the game and make the world come to us!
International observers feel that Malaysia has developed the background and infrastructure. We can gear up by attracting the best local brains as well as talent and companies from abroad by focusing on niche areas that are radically different from Singapore, other Asian countries and Australia.
In the increasingly complex and competitive biotech world, Malaysia has natural resources found nowhere else on the planet:
- The oldest rainforest in the world. This part of the world was not affected by the Ice Age. Malaysia's rainforest is estimated to be up to 130 million years old.
- Listed as a "mega-diversity" nation — No 12 in the world and fourth in Asia behind India, China and Indonesia. This is recognised by world bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and, of course, the World Bank.
- It is estimated that 15,000 flowering plant species (9% of the world's total) and 185,000 animal species (16% of the world's total) are found in Malaysia.
- The presence of herbs and systems of healing from the cultures — Jamu medicine, Chinese traditional medicine, Ayurveda along with indigenous medicine (the three major races — Malays, Chinese and Indians — have lived together for more than 500 years). No other nation on the planet can match us on this.
Indeed, in biotech, the niche areas of "agricultural biotech" and "herbal biotech" represent "low hanging fruit" potential in terms of research, development and quick as well as profitable commercialisation. In these areas, Malaysia offers the world unique and seemingly limitless possibilities, especially when married with other emerging technologies like genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics.
As humanity looks more and more to nature for answers, plant species of the Malaysian rainforests and our ancient traditions could improve life on the planet. Malaysia could offer possibilities in therapeutics, health ingredients, food ingredients, cosmetics and substitutes to synthetics in colourants, flavours, pesticides, preservatives and even fertilisers.
Ultimately, our plant species have the huge potential of new life-saving drugs — the prize catch of the herbal industry. After all, almost a quarter of all the drugs in the marketplace today come from plants. Drug companies, having exhausted other possibilities, are scouring the world for plants and traditional knowledge to create the next life-saving drug.
Malaysia's ample biotech resources may indeed be our best-kept secret. It is time to tell the world — investors, regulators and consumers, both local and international. To win, and win big, Malaysian biotech needs to go GREEN.
In my column next month, I will delve into developing a winning position in "green biotech".
