KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian biotechnology startup Inno Therapeutics (M) Sdn Bhd plans to expand its collaborative network and research capabilities as it seeks to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world application.
Founder Dr Evan Cheah Foo Kit said the company plans to strengthen its network of university and industry collaborators across cellular research, plant biotechnology and diagnostics.
“We hope to develop a broader platform for biotechnology research and translation in the country.
“However, we do not want the success of our collaboration strategy to be measured by the number of agreements. For us, an MoU is only the starting point, and we strongly believe the industry has an important role to play,” he told StarBiz.
Cheah said Malaysia has established research universities and a sizeable pool of scientific talent, but there is room for stronger links between academia and industry.
“Universities are naturally strong in scientific discovery, specialised knowledge and fundamental research, while biotechnology companies must consider additional questions surrounding reproducibility, scalability, quality, regulation, manufacturing and commercial viability,” he said.
Cheah said industry partners could complement academic expertise by providing capabilities such as cell culture platforms, analytical expertise and manufacturing experience.
“There will also be areas where we don't have the capability ourselves, so we collaborate with another technology partner. Biotechnology today is too broad for any one organisation to do everything,” he added.
Inno Therapeutics' activities span drug discovery, vaccine technologies, cellular and cell-free research, biotechnology manufacturing, preclinical and translational research, as well as contract research and development.
Cheah said the aim is to build an interconnected platform where collaborations can lead to further research opportunities rather than developing the areas as isolated business units.
The company is working on another research initiative with Universiti Malaya's Assoc Prof Dr Liew Sook Yee and has established a collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia's Assoc Prof Dr Tan Suat Cheng in biomedical and translational research.
It is also collaborating with researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.
“We want to provide enough structure to move a project forward while allowing good science to evolve,” Cheah said.
Alongside its collaboration network, Inno Therapeutics is expanding its laboratory capabilities in plant tissue culture, cell culture and advanced diagnostics.
Cheah said the company sees potential at the intersection of plant science, Malaysia's biological resources and biotechnology, including work involving plant propagation and plant-derived materials.
It is also extending its molecular biology capabilities through technology partners Hangzhou Yooning Instrument Co Ltd and Revo Science Sdn Bhd, supporting molecular biology and polymerase chain reaction-related services.
Separately, Inno Therapeutics has partnered Zero Waste Malaysia and Recircle Sdn Bhd to explore ways to manage laboratory plastic waste, including collection, decontamination, segregation and recycling.
“We cannot simply remove single-use plastics from biotechnology laboratories because many are there for very important safety and quality reasons.
“But that doesn't mean we shouldn't ask whether some of that waste can be managed better,” Cheah said.
He added that Malaysia's biotechnology sector would need more scientists with exposure not only to research but also quality systems, manufacturing, regulatory requirements and commercialisation.
