Nanobiotix, an emerging nanomedicine company focused on cancer therapy, announced today that the Company and its partner, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn Bhd (BiotechCorp), will initially focus their collaboration on developing point-of-care (P-O-C) diagnostics and drug delivery systems for tropical diseases, such as malaria. BiotechCorp has acquired an exclusive, global license to a Nanobiotix nanotechnology platform for non-cancer purposes. As part of the collaboration, three BiotechCorp scientists will take up residence at Nanobiotix for a period of 12 months to undergo the technology transfer training.
Malaria is a disease that can be transmitted to people of all ages through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Approximately 40% of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. Every year, more than 500 million people worldwide become severely ill with malaria. Early diagnosis and effective treatment of malaria disease will shorten its duration and prevent the development of complications and the great majority of deaths from malaria.
“We are proud to be the first partner of Nanobiotix outside of its cancer focus,” said BiotechCorp’s CEO Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood. “We firmly believe that the opportunity to help save millions of lives is in fact a near-term possibility as a result of this collaboration between BiotechCorp and Nanobiotix. Additionally, this collaboration is a significant testimony to the readiness of the Malaysian biotechnology industry in commercializing science to market, whilst addressing challenges in our part of the world.”
“BiotechCorp offers Nanobiotix a direct route through Asia,” said Laurent Lévy, Ph.D., President and CEO of Nanobiotix and Co-President of the French Technology Platform on Nanomedicine (FTPN). “Certainly, their strategic location in the heart of Asia, along with Malaysia’s pro-business government, political stability, and cost-effective base for doing business are among the many good reasons we have chosen to partner with BiotechCorp.”
Dr. Lévy will be a keynote speaker on nanotechnology at “Bio Malaysia 2008”—the Malaysian global biotechnology event that will take place from October 7-9 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For further details about this event, please visit www.biomalaysia.com.my.