KBioCorp in three biotech R&D tie-ups

Kedah Bioresources Corp Sdn Bhd (KBioCorp), a subsidiary of Kulim Technology Park Corp Bhd (KTPC), is investing RM13mil in three research and development programmes.

These are meant to develop food, herbal and seedling products, and to train manpower in biotechnology.

KTPC chairman Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah said the programmes would be conducted in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), AIMST University, Kedah Agro Biotech Sdn Bhd and Orchid Life Sdn Bhd.

“With USM, the project is to develop Halal food and herbal products.

“The collaboration with Kedah Agro and Orchid Life is to produce seedlings via tissue culturing and cross-breeding method for mass cultivation of agricultural products,” he told StarBiz.

The partnership with AIMST was to train knowledge-based workers for the biotechnology sector, he said after launching the Innobiz 2010-2012 programme.

Innobiz aims to provide coaching and mentorship, training in industrial engineering, reverse engineering, incubator development, vendor development, marketing schemes, as well as robotic and micro-electronics programmes for small and medium companies in Kedah.

Also present was KTPC president Muhamad Sobri Osman.

Amiruddin said it would take at least six months before the collaborations could produce any results.

“The intellectual properties of the products would be jointly owned by KBioCorp and its partners,” he added.

Sobri said it was timely for KBioCorp to venture into research and development with suitable partners so that it could own and commercialise intellectual properties.

“Set up in 2006, KBioCorp started as a biotechnology laboratory to provide microbial and chemical analysis for food industries.

“Over the years, we have expanded into providing analysis for biotechnology products,” he said.