Proposed RM50 million investment to advance regenerative medicine and high-value biotechnology in Sarawak
KOTA SAMARAHAN, 14 AUGUST 2026 – Sarawak is taking a major step towards strengthening its position in biotechnology and healthcare with a proposed RM50 million investment to develop the Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry at the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park.
The proposed development is a collaboration between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy Corporation) and BioVerde Technologies Sdn Bhd (BVT), formalised through a document exchange between Bioeconomy Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak and BVT Chief Executive Officer, Ts. Hazwan Razak.
The exchange took place at the Foundation Laying and Exchange of Agreements for the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park ceremony in Kota Samarahan on 13 August 2026, witnessed by the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg.
The collaboration builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2025 during the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak between Bioeconomy Corporation, an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), and BVT, the commercial arm of the Sarawak Biodiversity Council.
The Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry is envisioned as Southeast Asia’s first nexus, or connected hub, that brings together a network of complementary activities dedicated to regenerative medicine, which aims to restore patients’ health and wellbeing.
The BioFoundry will comprise four key activities – Manufacturing Nexus, Clinical Nexus, Technology & Research Nexus, and Wellness Nexus – creating an integrated ecosystem to support the development of regenerative medicine from research through to patient treatment.
The BioFoundry will support the development of cell and gene therapy products (CGTPs), one of the key growth areas within regenerative medicine. CGTPs are advanced medical treatments that use living cells or genetic material to treat complex diseases, including certain cancers and genetic disorders. By bringing research, manufacturing and clinical capabilities together in one location, the BioFoundry is expected to accelerate the development of promising innovations from the laboratory to patients, producing and supplying CGTPs to hospitals and clinical partners across Sarawak and the wider region.
Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak said Malaysia needs stronger infrastructure and development pathways to translate healthcare research into treatments that can deliver real benefits to patients.
“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. Our collaboration with BVT will provide companies within our ecosystem, including BioNexus Status and Bio-based Accelerator (BBA) companies, with a stronger pathway to test, validate and advance their technologies in a real healthcare environment. The BioFoundry will provide this platform, operating in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) guidelines and regulatory requirements.
“This collaboration will also bring industry, healthcare providers and government 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 said.
Mohd Khairul said Bioeconomy Corporation currently supports a portfolio of biotechnology companies developing more than 50 cell and gene therapy products, representing the pipeline the Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry is designed to serve.
Under the collaboration, Bioeconomy Corporation and BVT will jointly develop the four Nexus activities. Both parties will drive ecosystem and technical development as well as facilitate engagement with relevant MOH bodies, including the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), Medical Development Division, Medical Practice Division, Malaysian Dental Council (MDC), and Medical Device Authority (MDA).
They will also facilitate talent development and access to relevant incentives, while coordinating with state agencies, hospital partners and other stakeholders to support the facility’s development and operations.
Ts. Hazwan Razak said, “The Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry represents the kind of high-value industry we want to catalyse through the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park. 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, attracting specialised talent and investment to Sarawak. Through this partnership, Bioeconomy Corporation brings a strong national pipeline of technologies and companies, while Sarawak provides the platform for these capabilities to come together and grow.”
The initiative is expected to support Sarawak’s long-term economic diversification by developing a high-value biotechnology industry, attracting new investment, creating high-skilled jobs and strengthening the state’s healthcare and biotechnology ecosystem.
It is also aligned with Sarawak’s ambition to transform the state into a developed, inclusive society by 2030 through improved healthcare access, quality, and infrastructure under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
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.
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About Bioeconomy Corporation
Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy Corporation) is Malaysia’s leader in economic development for the biotechnology and bio-based industries, operating under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Bioeconomy Corporation supports businesses, academia, and scientific communities by providing facilitation, advisory, as well as ecosystem development services, covering business, market access, investment, R&D and commercialisation, human capital development, financial assistance, legal and regulatory framework, with government support and commitment.
Its flagship programmes include BioNexus Status, a government-supported recognition awarded to eligible biotechnology companies, providing them with facilitation and support to grow their business. It also offers the Bio-based Accelerator programme to help emerging bio-based companies scale up and commercialise their innovations.
For further details, visit www.bioeconomycorporation.my
For media inquiries, kindly contact:
Bioeconomy Corporation
Nur Akmar Yusoff Senior Executive, Strategic Communication
Tel: +6012 690 6108
Email: akmar.yusoff@bioeconomycorporation.my