NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Agilent Technologies today signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian government to promote and develop biotechnology in that country.
The MOU was reached through the Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, or IPHARM, an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The alliance will focus on establishing the IPHARM-Agilent Global Reference Research Lab and developing human capital in biotechnology, Agilent said in a statement. The lab will develop global Halal testing standards in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals and provide access to analytical tools and expertise "to develop the local industry and small and medium enterprise ecosystem in their commercialization efforts," the company added.
Halal is a term designating that goods or actions comply with Islamic laws.
Agilent will provide its specialized technical expertise to create the lab and "leading-edge analytical and application solutions to jointly develop the global Halal testing standards with IPHARM," it said. It also will transfer its biotechnology knowledge to Malaysia "to build and develop indigenous capabilities through an ecosystem of local knowledge partners."
IPHARM contributes domain expertise in bioactive compounds research and analysis, and will leverage Malaysia's "inherited strength in biodiversity and its aspiration to be a global Halal testing leader in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals," Agilent said.
Gooi Soon Chai, president of Agilent Technologies Malaysia and Singapore, added that the partnership offers "enormous potential" in hastening biotechnology as Malaysia's next engine of economic growth.