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Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Thanh Hai (left) converses with Mr. Reg Kelly |
During a meeting with Le Thanh Hai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, on the evening of October 27, Mr. Reg Kelly, CEO of the San Francisco Biotechnology Research Institute, USA, stated that the production costs of pharmaceuticals in Europe and the USA are currently quite high. Therefore, many investors are likely to look towards Asian countries, including Vietnam.
Mr. Reg Kelly is a representative from the USA attending the 8th Asia-Pacific Conference and Exhibition on Molecular Biology, which opened at the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday morning. The event will run until October 29.
The 8th Asia-Pacific Conference and Exhibition on Molecular Biology has attracted more than 250 delegates from both domestic and international backgrounds. Among them are representatives from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Cuba, and the USA. Twenty companies are participating in product displays with 23 booths. Notably, the Cuban Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology is participating, a center that has achieved significant successes in biotechnology development. According to Duong Hoa So, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Biotechnology Center, the presence of international biotech companies at the exhibition presents a valuable opportunity for scientists, research institutes, universities, and domestic businesses to interact, learn, exchange, and access new technologies and achievements in the field. |
Mr. Reg Kelly commented that Ho Chi Minh City is very dynamic, which could be a key factor for success in the biotechnology sector. However, the city faces challenges due to financial constraints, and in the three main sectors of biotechnology locally—diagnostics, treatment, and agriculture—there are still no significant “highlights” to attract investors. The city is also contending with competition from many other countries.
“We will call on philanthropists to support Ho Chi Minh City. But the city needs to create a focal point to attract them“, Mr. Reg Kelly said. “We will also advocate for the establishment of an Advisory Council, consisting of top industry experts, to help the city build strengths and a unique market for biotechnology products. For the support efforts to be truly effective, this council must operate directly in Vietnam“.
Chairman Le Thanh Hai stated that Ho Chi Minh City recognizes biotechnology as playing an important role in future development. The city has established a Biotechnology Center, but it has yet to operate effectively. “We have ideas and directions but lack real experience in this field. We hope that the Institute and the city’s Biotechnology Center can discuss and collaborate to develop a detailed plan that will enhance the Center’s operations“, Mr. Hai said.
During the meeting, Mr. Reg Kelly expressed a desire for the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the parent institution of the San Francisco Biotechnology Research Institute, to establish an office in Vietnam. The Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee indicated that the city would facilitate this matter.
Thanh Luong