An Excellent Environment for HealthTech Solutions

Miltenyi Biotec believes that combining science, diagnostics and engineering can lead to breakthroughs for complex diseases.

The pandemic has demonstrated the need for new medical solutions. Doctors and scientists are eager to stay one step ahead of virus mutations. German cellular research and therapy pioneer Miltenyi Biotec understands that manufacturing cellular therapies requires a different set of skills from traditional ones based on chemical molecules. To achieve excellent results for its customers, it adopts a three-pronged strategy of deep scientific understanding, cutting edge diagnostics and advanced genetic engineering to address complex diseases such as cancer.

Strong Local Support

“Miltenyi Biotec offers a body of expertise ranging from basic science to new technology development and translation into new therapies,” explained Ken Ooi, Miltenyi Biotec’s General Manager for Hong Kong. He described Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP) as instrumental to why the city was chosen as Miltenyi Biotec’s regional centre for research and development. “We are thankful for the profound support HKSTP provided during the recent set up of our new office,” he said. “Leveraging HKSTP’s world class infrastructure and ecosystem helps to make our innovative solutions for gene and cell therapy available to patients and customers in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the APAC region.”

Setting up an R&D office during the height of a global pandemic presented its own set of challenges: “Face to face training of new staff could only happen while following strict rules. In the midst of global travel bans and quarantine restrictions, it was necessary to have effective ways of communicating with local staff and customers through innovative technology. Our Hong Kong customer-specific content website aims for stronger customer engagement with less in-person activity. Its informative content allows us to market ourselves in a considerably more effective way,” Ooi said.

Excellence in Scientific Education

The Hong Kong office was established as a strategic hub for servicing Miltenyi Biotec’s Greater China market. Ooi acknowledged that the city boasts robust infrastructure and solid access to outstanding talent and biomedical know-how. “Hong Kong offers a very capable and stable environment,” Ooi stated. “The very high level of scientific education and expertise is a major reason why Hong Kong is of strategic importance for our business in Asia. There is huge potential in making our technology available to universities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, or establishing our solutions across hospitals in the region for patient care.”

At the moment, Miltenyi Biotec is concentrating on getting its Hong Kong team up to speed to address the needs of its local customers and partners. “InvestHK has been a strong partner,” noted Ooi. “It has done an outstanding job in introducing us to the pharmaceutical and biotech market, creating strong interest in our portfolio. Hong Kong itself offers a very safe and stable environment with great infrastructure and outstanding healthcare system.”