M’sia bridge into Asia’s booming health care market
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is poised to be the bridge into Asia’s compelling healthcare opportunities.
Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) CEO Datuk Dr Mohd Nazlee Kamal said Malaysia’s healthcare industry is growing at a rapid pace, driven by incremental healthcare spending, a pro-business government as well as increasing use of new technologies.
It is one of the most competitive healthcare hubs in the Asia-Pacific, with a huge biodiversity that the healthcare industry can capitalise on.
“We are now poised to be the bridge into Asia’s healthcare opportunities,” he said.
In partnership with CIMB Investment Bank, Biotech yesterday held a special investor briefing and networking session in San Francisco.
Speaking at the briefing, Mohd Nazlee said Asia, being home to more than half of the world’s population, presents arguably the most compelling growth opportunity globally in the healthcare industry.
“This is driven by the emergence of a rapidly growing middle class, strong growth in disposable income, an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases, amongst others.
“We are pleased to have hosted over more than 50 healthcare companies and investors to discuss business opportunities and funding collaborations in support of the potential expansion plans of their business operations,” he added.
The investor briefing was held on the sidelines of the 32nd JP Morgan Healthcare Conference and 6th Biotechnology Showcase Conference in San Francisco.
When combined, the events represent the largest annual gathering of healthcare companies and investors globally.
The investor briefing was supported by CIMB Investment Bank, which provided insights into the current business and investment environment for healthcare companies and investors in Malaysia, Asean and the Asia Pacific as a whole.
The bank also highlighted current trends and opportunities for capital raising and acquisitions in the region.
Mohd Nazlee said the Asian healthcare market as a whole was estimated at more than US$ 1.2 trillion in 2012 and is expected to reach US$2.9 trillion by 2020.
He highlighted that the Malaysian bio-based industry is in the second phase of the National Biotechnology Policy – the “Science to Business” phase – involving the acceleration of commercialisation activities by industry players.
Meanwhile, Vijay Karwal, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare Advisory, CIMB Investment Bank, who also spoke at the event, said: “We are witnessing strong interest from companies and investors globally to participate in the fast growing Asian healthcare industry.
“Some of the largest and leading healthcare companies in the region have successfully listed their shares and raised capital on Bursa Malaysia.
“To this end, as one of the leading advisors to the healthcare industry in the Asia Pacific, CIMB expects this trend to accelerate in the coming period.
“We are actively focused on facilitating and supporting these fast growing investment flows into the Malaysian and Asian healthcare industry.”
To date, there are a 229 BioNexus companies in Malaysia, of which 66 are healthcare oriented, with a total of RM3.2 billion in approved investments.
The briefing by Biotech attracted a wide spectrum of healthcare companies and investors, some of them from the Malaysian diaspora, who successfully introduced Malaysia’s competitive advantages in the Asian Healthcare industry.
Source: The Edge
Published: 16 Jan 2014
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