A flower of the Bintangor tree (Calophyllum species), native to the rainforests of Borneo. The tree has shown promising potential in scientific research, with compounds derived from it being investigated for their potential in developing therapies for cancer and HIV, as well as applications in regenerative medicine.
Sarawak is proposing a RM50 million investment to establish Southeast Asia’s first integrated regenerative medicine hub, linking biotechnology research, manufacturing and clinical applications in a single ecosystem.
The proposed Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry, to be developed at the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park, will focus on cell and gene therapies — an emerging field of medicine that uses living cells or genetic material to treat diseases including certain cancers, immune disorders and genetic conditions.
The initiative brings together regenerative medicine with Sarawak’s growing biotechnology ambitions and its extraordinary biological diversity.
Sarawak is home to some of the world’s oldest tropical rainforests and a vast range of plant, animal and microbial species. Its biodiversity provides a potentially valuable source of biological compounds, genetic information and scientific knowledge for research into new medicines and biotechnology applications.
The state has also been building an institutional base for biodiversity research and bioprospecting through agencies such as the Sarawak Biodiversity Council, while developing infrastructure intended to move biological discoveries towards commercial applications.
The BioFoundry is intended to add another layer to that ecosystem by providing a pathway from laboratory research to manufacturing and eventually clinical use.
Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corp chief executive officer Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak said stronger infrastructure and clearer development pathways were needed to translate healthcare research into treatments for 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,” he said in a statement.
Bioeconomy Corp currently supports biotechnology companies developing more than 50 cell and gene therapy products, which could provide a potential pipeline for the proposed BioFoundry.
The facility is planned around four areas — manufacturing, clinical activities, technology and research, and wellness — and will operate in accordance with Health Ministry guidelines and regulatory requirements.
The BioFoundry is expected to provide biotechnology companies with facilities to test, validate and advance technologies in a healthcare setting, potentially shortening the journey from laboratory discovery to patient treatment.
The project also reflects a broader shift in Sarawak’s economic strategy, with the state seeking to move beyond the extraction and processing of natural resources towards higher-value industries based on science, technology and knowledge.
Sarawak’s biodiversity could be particularly significant in this transition. However, turning biological wealth into new medicines requires more than discovering useful compounds. It also depends on research capability, genetic-resource governance, advanced laboratories, clinical validation, regulatory expertise and the ability to manufacture products to international standards.
The proposed BioFoundry aims to bring several of these capabilities together.
The collaboration between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corp and BioVerde Technologies Sdn Bhd, the commercial arm of the Sarawak Biodiversity Council, builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in October 2025.
BioVerde chief executive officer Hazwan Razak said the BioFoundry would connect research, manufacturing, clinical applications and investment while helping develop high-value industries at the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park.
The initiative is expected to attract investment, create high-skilled employment and strengthen Sarawak’s biotechnology and healthcare ecosystem.
If realised, the BioFoundry could position Sarawak not merely as a custodian of one of the world’s richest tropical ecosystems, but as a place where biodiversity research is increasingly connected to advanced biotechnology, medicine and human health.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said earlier this year: “Sarawak could have the potential to become a global centre for cancer research and treatment, based on growing scientific interest in bioactive compounds found in plants native to the state.”
