Strategic Engagement: AMDI USM Explores Research Collaboration With Inno Therapeutics

The Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, recently welcomed Dr. Evan Cheah, Chief Scientific Officer of Inno Therapeutics, together with his team, for a strategic engagement session. Inno Therapeutics is a company specialising in drug development, cellular therapeutics, vaccine innovation, and contract manufacturing (CMO/CDMO). The meeting was chaired by Professor Dr. Badrul Hisham Yahaya, Deputy Director of Research and Networking, AMDI USM, and attended by Associate Professor Dr. Rafidah Zainon and Dr. Nur Shuhaidatul Sarmiza Abd Halim.

Discussions centred on identifying mutual areas of interest that could serve as the foundation for future research collaboration and knowledge exchange. Key themes included the advancement of cellular therapy research, with a focus on pathways that enable preclinical studies to progress into clinical translation through industrial expertise and infrastructure.

Furthermore, the session highlighted the importance of capacity building and talent development, with opportunities for postgraduate training, staff secondments, and co-supervised research programmes to strengthen human capital while fostering closer ties between academia and industry. Further exploration with other team members from AMDI and Inno Therapeutics will be held to refine project priorities, establish clear frameworks for collaboration, and outline concrete steps towards initiating pilot research initiatives.

In addition, both AMDI and Inno Therapeutics emphasised the importance of establishing structured frameworks for research and development (R&D) as well as talent development, ensuring long-term sustainability and impact. This engagement reaffirms AMDI’s commitment to fostering strategic academic–industry partnerships that enhance research impact, strengthen translational capacity, and drive innovation in healthcare.