SARAWAK is set to develop the Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry at the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park, with a proposed investment of RM50 million aimed at strengthening the state’s biotechnology and healthcare capabilities.
The project is a collaboration between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy Corporation) and BioVerde Technologies Sdn Bhd (BVT), the commercial arm of the Sarawak Biodiversity Council.
The collaboration was formalised through a document exchange between Bioeconomy Corporation chief executive officer Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak and BVT chief executive officer Ts Hazwan Razak at the Foundation Laying and Exchange of Agreements for the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park ceremony on Aug 13.
The ceremony was witnessed by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The proposed BioFoundry is envisioned as Southeast Asia’s first integrated regenerative medicine hub, bringing together research, manufacturing, clinical applications and wellness activities under four components: Manufacturing Nexus, Clinical Nexus, Technology & Research Nexus and Wellness Nexus.
The collaboration builds on a memorandum of understanding signed between Bioeconomy Corporation and BVT in October 2025 during the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak.
The BioFoundry will focus on regenerative medicine, including the development of cell and gene therapy products (CGTPs), which use living cells or genetic material to treat certain complex diseases, including some cancers and genetic disorders.
By bringing research, manufacturing and clinical capabilities together, the facility is intended to support the development and validation of CGTPs before their eventual use in hospitals and clinical settings in Sarawak and the wider region.
Mohd Khairul said Malaysia needed stronger infrastructure and development pathways to help translate healthcare research into treatments.
“Cell and gene therapy is still an emerging field in Malaysia. Although local biotechnology companies are developing promising technologies, many continue to face challenges in securing clinical validation and bringing their products to market,” he said.
He said the collaboration would provide companies within Bioeconomy Corporation’s ecosystem, including BioNexus Status and Bio-based Accelerator companies, with a pathway to test, validate and advance their technologies in a healthcare environment.
“The BioFoundry will provide this platform, operating in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines and regulatory requirements,” he stated.
According to Mohd Khairul, the initiative would also bring industry, healthcare providers and government agencies closer together while supporting technology transfer, commercialisation and investment in high-value healthcare industries.
“We want to see Malaysian bio-innovations move beyond the laboratory, into hospitals, into the hands of healthcare professionals, and most importantly, to the people who need them,” he added.
He further noted that Bioeconomy Corporation currently supported a portfolio of biotechnology companies developing more than 50 cell and gene therapy products, which would form part of the pipeline the BioFoundry is intended to serve.
Under the collaboration, Bioeconomy Corporation and BVT will jointly develop the four Nexus components and coordinate ecosystem and technical development for the facility.
They will also facilitate engagement with relevant Health Ministry agencies and regulatory bodies, including the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, Malaysian Medical Council, Medical Development Division, Medical Practice Division, Malaysian Dental Council and Medical Device Authority.
The partners will also work on talent development, access to incentives and coordination with Sarawak state agencies, hospital partners and other stakeholders involved in the development and operation of the facility.
Meanwhile, BVT’s Hazwan said the BioFoundry would support Sarawak’s efforts to attract high-value biotechnology activities to the state.
“The Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry represents the kind of high-value industry we want to catalyse through the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park,” he noted.
“By connecting research, manufacturing, clinical application and investment, we aim to create a credible pathway for promising technologies to reach real-world healthcare applications, while building new capabilities and attracting specialised talent and investment to Sarawak.”
He said the partnership would combine Bioeconomy Corporation’s national pipeline of technologies and companies with Sarawak’s infrastructure and development platform.
The initiative is expected to contribute to Sarawak’s economic diversification by attracting investment, creating high-skilled employment and strengthening the state’s biotechnology and healthcare ecosystem.
It is also aligned with the state’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which aims to improve healthcare access, quality and infrastructure as part of Sarawak’s broader development agenda.
At the national level, the initiative supports the healthcare and wellbeing thrust of the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0, particularly in biologics, precision medicine and cell and gene therapy.
It also complements the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), which seeks to strengthen Malaysia’s capabilities in high-value domestic manufacturing, including biologics within the pharmaceutical sector. ‒ Focus Malaysia
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