US-based biopharmaceutical services company Quintiles is collaborating with the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp), the lead development agency for the biotech industry in Malaysia, as part of BiotechCorp’s efforts to foster a supportive national environment for clinical research.
A memorandum of collaboration was signed by BiotechCorp with Singapore’s Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd during the 5th BioPharmaAsia Convention in the island state.
The agreement covers activities such as shared central-laboratory and biobank services, a training programme for graduate/interns in clinical research, stem cell research, and vaccines.
BiotechCorp will provide and facilitate the necessary support to develop the projects stipulated under the agreement.
The agency wants to build up clinical research technology and know-how in line with a national aspiration to make Malaysia a strong force in Asia for research that addresses public health needs and benefits society at large.
Clinical research ambitions
“Quintiles believes Malaysia’s biotechnology sector has enormous potential, and the government is actively engaged to build the right environment for success,” commented Dr Anand Tharmaratnam, the company’s senior vice president and head of Asia markets.
“Today’s signing is a step towards what will be a collaborative relationship between Quintiles and BiotechCorp to provide the infrastructure and knowledge transfer necessary to expedite Malaysia’s ambitions in clinical research,” Dr Tharmaratnam added.
In July 2010, Quintiles formed a strategic alliance with the University Malaya Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, taking the company’s Prime Site programme for the first time into Asia. Prime sites are large medical institutions that collaborate with Quintiles to enhance their infrastructure for conducting clinical trials.
