KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The opening of the first central oncology laboratory for clinical trials in Malaysia, Hematogenix is expected to move local pharmaceutical and healthcare industries further up the value chain into research and development (R&D) and related services.

Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Investment Development) Lim Bee Vian said the entry of Hematogenix in Malaysia is also expected to attract more global clinical trials into the country.

"This project with an investment of more than US$9 million (RM39 million) to date is made possible through our investment policies, incentives, talent development and availability, and facilitation in bringing in biological samples and machinery.

"In return, our local scientists and healthcare professionals can benefit from Hematogenix in terms of knowledge and technology transfer,” she said in a statement today.

The opening of the laboratory, located in Cyberjaya, was officiated by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today and witnessed by Lim, Hematogenix President and Chief Executive Officer Dr Hytham Al-Masri and Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM) Chief Executive Officer Dr Akhmal Yusof.

Hematogenix, a global clinical research central laboratory specialising in oncology or cancer research with accreditations from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), has been in operation globally since 2007 and in Malaysia since June 2021.

Hematogenix is headquartered in Chicago, the United States of America with three other branches globally, covering the European market in Manchester, United Kingdom, the China market in Shanghai; and the latest market for Asia Pacific in Cyberjaya.

Meanwhile, the statement added that Khairy, during his speech, emphasised that apart from boosting foreign direct investments and boosting the clinical research industry, a collaboration between Hematogenix and the Ministry of Health (MOH) will spur more local collaborations especially in providing cutting-edge diagnostics services.

He added that the collaboration will lead to more exchange of knowledge and training for scientists within the MOH as well as offers direct benefits for cancer patients, as various tests for cancer biomarkers are now available locally with a shorter waiting time for diagnosis.

The facility is now in operation with 40 trained and qualified members including pathologists, PhD and Masters degree qualified scientists, medical technologists, bioinformaticians and software developers. — Bernama