PARIS (June 14, 2012): Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili is on a three-day official visit to Paris accompanied by MOSTI Deputy Secretary-General (Science) Prof Datin Paduka Dr Khatijah Yusoff and National Biotechnology Division Under-Secretary Prof Dr. Rofina Yasmin Othman, BiotechCorp CEO Dato’ Dr.Mohd Nazlee Kamal and other officials.
The visit’s objectives are to acquire strategic information on leading-edge technologies and technological advances, to establish bilateral collaboration and strategic partnerships in platform technology, commercialisation and R&D, to collaborate for knowledge and technological transfer as well as to facilitate information exchange between France and Malaysia.
The Minister and his delegation will make visits to Sanofi, a French Multi National Pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, Sofiproteol – Novance Oilseed Biorefinery in Compiegne and the ARD Bazancourt-Pomacle Biorefinery Complex in Reims.
Sanofi is the fourth largest pharma company and the world’s no. 1 vaccine producer. It is currently conducting Phase 2 global clinical trials for Dengue vaccine in Malaysia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, with Phase 3 expected to be completed in July 2014.
Sofiproteol is a subsidiary of a major French agro-food group specialising in oilseed processing, from rapeseed to end-user industrial products, while ARD Bazancourt-Pomacle is an integrated biorefinery which started as a sugar beet refinery and is currently producing ethanol and succinic acid using first and second generation carbohydrate sources.
The Minister and his delegation will then proceed to Boston in the United States for the Bio International Convention 2012 until June 21.
