Two years into the First Phase of the National Biotech Policy, Malaysia has seen changes on many levels within the biotech industry, as it begins to pick up pace in adopting such technology as an major economic engine. According to Burrill and Company, a biotech industry investment bank, over $350 billion has been invested in the industry, and its global profits have increased from $23 billion in 2000 to more than $50 billion in 2005. There are around 4,000 biotechnology firms across the globe, with leaders like Amgen, Genentech and Serono. Among these companies, about 50% are located in the European Union; 30% in the US and the rest in Asia.

However, the organisation is no exclusive club, for according to the current chairman of MBIO, Dr. Harikrishna. Biotechnology in its broadest and most encompassing sense would be “any form of technology that uses living organisms, or part of any such organisms, to produce and alter products, to enhance plants or animals, or to produce organisms for specific uses.”The rationale behind the use of the word “Bioindustry” instead of “Biotechnology” connotates a more inclusive membership.

Dr. Harikrishna

“Many companies utilise biotech-related processes in their production, and these companies are actually part of the biotech revolution. By catering for the needs of a wider clientele, we will be able to act as a catalyst for industry ventures to band together as a strong voice, and provide for better conditions in facilitating economic growth,” he maintains. “Isn’t making money, economic growth the ultimate aim for all companies?”

Hence, there is no lack of activities being conducted by the organisation for the diverse range of its members which include multinational pharmaceutical companies, current movers-and-shakers in the local industry, as well as venture capitalists and law firms dealing with biotech issues like IP. The organisation has been a co-organiser for the 2006 BioMalaysia conference and Biotech Asia 2006 held in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the main organiser for a business matchmaking event between Malaysian and Korean biotech companies with its sister-organisation, the Korea Bio Venture Association (KOBIOVEN). It has also conducted seminars on new technologies, business opportunities as well as workshops on obtaining financial support.

MBIO is also crucial in providing industry views on biotech-centric legislation and government proposals as a part of the industry, as their leverage may allow them to be better facilitated in looking at the implications of such matters. One such incidence would be during the drafting and reviewing of the Biosafety Bill in which the organisation has given much input for it to be feasible for both the government and the industry.

“MBIO strongly believes that we should be a springboard for industry views to be brought up to supplement governmental decisions,” said Dr. Harikrishna. “As legislation infrastructure for the industry is still at its infancy, we are dedicated to advise the government to look carefully in hopes that they would take into account a multitude of views before making it into law.”

As for aspirations of the organisation, Dr. Harikrishna has stated that more outreach programmes is being planned for its members, and possibly in the future, the public as well. They are also dedicated in educating funding agencies who basically still revert back to traditional business models. “We are providing a reality check for these agencies, as their idea of business models being traditional, means they are not based on IPs, nor are they willing to take the risk of long gestation periods, despite the high risk, high rewards nature of such investment.”

In the long term, MBIO hopes to further educate the local academia to help them to understand how to succeed in business by getting their members in giving talks. As well as being to bridge the gap between business and research, by helping potential products make business sense which would in turn spell financial success.