San Diego, California, June 24, 2014 – Malaysia’s diverse strengths and capabilities in bio-based industry will be on full display at the annual BIO International Convention 2014 (BIO), as Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp), continues its international profiling at the Convention which takes place in San Diego, California from 23 – 26 June 2014.

The distinguished Malaysian delegates led by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin, comprised distinguished dignitaries, YB Dato’ Seri Hilmi Yahaya, Deputy Minister of Health and YB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, the Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak, and Prof Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Chairman of BiotechCorp.

Also joining the delegation were Executive Council members of state government of Kedah, Sabah and Sarawak, economic corridor authorities, investment promotion agencies, BioNexus status companies and public and private bio-based industry players.

BIO San Diego 2014 becomes the first international platform to showcase BioShoppe, a concept store that promotes biotechnology related products produced by BioNexus Status companies such as herbal supplements, functional food and cosmetics made through various sustainable biotechnological processes.

According to Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, the BioShoppe programme, a government initiative implemented by BiotechCorp, will be helping BioNexus Status companies with effective brand and promotion strategies to gain better market access.

“With its focus for quality and value-added products, BioShoppe is an effective branding strategy to showcase and promote various bio-products and services offered by BioNexus companies. By aligning its strategy, these companies are also able to reduce its operating cost for obtaining market access,” added Datuk Dr Ewon.

Datuk Dr. Ewon also launched the new BioNexus Product logo during the launching of Malaysian Pavilion at the event.

The new BioNexus product logo, which was also launched at the event, is another marketing strategy for BioNexus products by BiotechCorp to further help encourage recognition and consumer confidence, besides as a representation of products manufactured with the highest standards in science, quality and consumer satisfaction.

To date, there are 234 BioNexus status companies – these are bio-based companies in BioMedical, AgBiotech and BioIndustrial which enjoy various fiscal incentives and facilitation services. To date, these companies have generated more than USD1 billion of approved investments.

Dato’ Dr. Mohd Nazlee said that through its tenth participation in the BIO International Convention and Exhibition, BiotechCorp aims to drive the growth of Malaysia’s Bioeconomy by stretching the global bands of networking and unlocking potential growth areas with the United States of America and other international counterparts.

“This well-established convention has always been a strategic platform for Malaysia to showcase and tell the world what we have to offer considering the advantages that we have being within the Asia Pacific region.

With this participation, we hope to further demonstrate to the international bio-based industry that we have entered a new dimension where Bioeconomy will become the pull factor for global investments into Malaysia,” said Dato’ Nazlee.

With all these strategies and plans in place, coupled with efforts taken to encourage investment and our strong push to encourage innovation and commercialisation, Malaysia is well on track to develop high impact areas within the bioeconomy sphere.

The BIO International Convention and Exhibition is the world’s largest gathering of biotechnology professional, business leaders, scientists and policy makers will be held from 23 – 26 June 2014, and is expected to draw over 16,500 attendees with 1,700 exhibiting companies from 65 countries.

For media inquiries, kindly contact:

BiotechCorp

ROSSURAYA ABDULLAH
Vice President, Strategy Management & Communications
Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation

Tel: +603 2116 5588
Fax: +603 2116 5313
Email: rossuraya.abdullah@biotechcorp.com.my