Abdul Fatah Hj. Amir, PhDJanuary 2018

KOTA KINABALU

BIOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE 2018

DRIVING BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY IN SABAH

- rethinking the strategies -

OUTLINE

• Some major facts and issues relating to biotechnology development in Sabah

• Driving biotech industry in Sabah – rethinking the strategies

• Special purpose vehicle as a driving force

MAJOR FACTS AND ISSUES RELATING TO BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN SABAH

• Sabah lacks of competent commercial-dedicated research organisations for undertaking modern biotechnology

• Sabah lacks of high calibre scientists for promoting modern biotechnology research;

• Sabah does not have small or medium dedicated biotech firms to support upstream activities in biotechnology product value chain

MAJOR FACTS AND ISSUES RELATING TO BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN SABAH

• Existing public research organisations lack of strategic alliances with biotechnology firms in the whole range of a biotechnology product value chain

• Sabah lacks of fund to promote biotechnology research for new products discovery;

• Sabah is under stiff competition with other States for federal government biotechnology research fund;

MAJOR FACTS AND ISSUES RELATING TO BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN SABAH

• Existing State departments/agencies main functions are either missing or underutilised for supporting State biotechnology development.

RETHINKING THE STRATEGIES

2006

2015

Sabah Biotechnology Action Blueprint

17 strategies

Driving biotech industry in Sabah – rethinking the strategies

• Capitalize the existence of small or medium foreign/national Dedicated Biotechnology Firms (DBFs)

• Provide conducive environment for attracting DBFs.–Provide R&D facilities–Provide business support

facilities

Driving biotech industry in Sabah – rethinking the strategies

• Build DBFs confidence

Driving biotech industry in Sabah – rethinking the strategies

• Establish strategic collaborations with DBFs.

Driving biotech industry in Sabah – rethinking the strategies

SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE AS A DRIVING FORCE

• Create a Special Purpose Vehicle that serves:– To identify and find DBFs– To form strategic biotech collaboration with DBFs– To provide R&D facilities to facilitate DBFs to

conduct drug discovery activities at an early stage of the biotechnological value chain

– To provide business support facilities to DBFs– To create new biotech firms

A MODEL FOR DRIVING BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY IN SABAH

CONCLUDING REMARKS

• The strategies will focus on creating commercial biotechnology activities in Sabah, as that will trigger:– Other stakeholders to join the boat

• Government• Business communities• Fund providers• Research organisations• Academia• Etc….

CONCLUDING REMARKS

– Creation of biotechnology cluster (our vision – we want this to happen in the future…..)

THANK YOU