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TOKYO, May 11, 2026 -- ACROBiosystems announced a major upgrade to its global license solution for HEK293 functional cell lines. Centered on customer value and empowering global biopharmaceutical innovation, the upgrade simplifies compliance workflows to support efficient drug discovery and development. As essential tools for innovative drug R&D, functional cell lines need clear, accessible usage authorization to keep projects on track. The updated policy expands authorized scope and eliminates redundant review steps. Across global markets, it establishes a unified compliant framework: customers may use HEK293 functional cell lines for internal research, drug discovery, assay development, quality assurance testing and lot release analysis without extra licensing or fees, fully complying with IP and contractual rules to focus on core R&D. This policy applies to all global markets (excluding the Greater China region), enabling seamless and efficient access to HEK293 functional cell line products for research and development activities. To help global customers adapt smoothly, ACROBiosystems provides localized support via professional teams in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Regional experts offer timely policy interpretation, streamlined compliance consultation and professional technical assistance, enabling fully compliant and efficient HEK293 functional cell lines research. This upgrade clarifies permitted-use terms, optimizes compliance management and cuts operational costs for drug developers worldwide. It builds a more transparent, flexible framework supporting standardized, scalable HEK293 functional cell line applications in diverse R&D scenarios. ACROBiosystems will keep optimizing global IP governance and licensing systems, delivering regulated, user-friendly functional cell line solutions to expand preclinical and translational research and accelerate high-quality drug development globally. Founded in 2010 and listed in 2021, ACROBiosystems Group is a biotechnology company aimed at being a cornerstone of the global biopharmaceutical and healthcare industries by providing innovative products and business models. The company spans the globe with offices, R&D centers, and production bases in over 15 cities across the United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Maintaining long-standing partnerships with top-tier pharmaceutical enterprises, the company comprises several subsidiaries such as ACROBiosystems, bioSeedin, Condense Capital, and ACRODiagnostics. Its main products and services—including recombinant proteins, kits, and antibodies—support the entire drug development lifecycle under a stringent quality control system. Through continuous technological advancement, ACROBiosystems Group is dedicated to accelerating drug development and contributing to global health. Source: ACROBiosystems Group

ACROBiosystems Launches Global License Solution Upgrade for HEK293 Functional Cell Lines, Streamlining Compliance to Accelerate Biopharmaceutical R&D

TOKYO, May 11, 2026 — ACROBiosystems announced a major upgrade to its global license solution for HEK293 functional cell lines. Centered on customer value and empowering global biopharmaceutical innovation, the .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the United States (US) dollar on Monday as investors monitored ongoing peace talks over the crisis in West Asia, analysts said. At 8am, the local currency rose to 3.9170/9230 against the US dollar from 3.9185/9230 at the close last Friday. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Chief Economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said market sentiment continued to be focused on the war in Iran, with ongoing peace talks seen as difficult to achieve amid inconsistent reports on the progress of the talks. “High oil prices are affecting business margins and consumer spending worldwide, leading to the possibility of investment and consumer spending being dampened. "Therefore, traders' willingness to take risks is expected to remain cautious," he told Bernama . So far, the price of Brent crude oil has increased by 3.55 percent to US$104.93 per barrel. Mohd Afzanizam said the US non-farm payrolls report rose to 115,000 in April compared to the consensus estimate of 62,000, indicating that the US labour market remains resilient and the US Federal Reserve may not be in a hurry to lower interest rates. Therefore, he said the ringgit is expected to trade in a small range and traders are also anticipating the announcement of Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2026 this Friday. "The Malaysian economy is seen to continue to maintain a good growth trajectory in the first three months of this year and possibly in the first half of 2026." "This expectation could provide support to the ringgit as the government remains proactive in providing a good response to the current shock," he said. In the opening session, the local currency traded higher against a basket of major currencies and most ASEAN currencies. The ringgit rose against the Japanese yen to 2.4970/5010 from 2.5010/5040 at the close last Friday, rose against the pound to 5.3248/3329 from 5.3354/3416 and gained against the euro to 4.6095/6166 from 4.6121/6174 previously. The local currency rose against the Singapore dollar to 3.0886/0936 from 3.0910/0948 at last Friday's close, strengthened against the Thai baht to 12.1322/1579 from 12.1640/1844 and rose against the Indonesian rupiah to 225.3/225.7 from 225.4/225.7 previously. However, the ringgit was unchanged against the Philippine peso at 6.46/6.47 compared to its closing level last Friday.

Ringgit opens higher against US dollar as West Asia peace talks continue

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the United States (US) dollar on Monday as investors monitored ongoing peace talks over the crisis in West Asia, analysts said. At 8am, .... read more

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) has approved financing of RM70 million to nearly 2,000 Indian entrepreneurs nationwide through the Entrepreneur Capital and Indian Economic Stimulus Package 2026 (MUDRA) so far. Its Minister, Steven Sim, said the amount was part of an overall fund of RM220 million announced recently, to help empower Indian entrepreneurs in the country. "I hope more entrepreneurs will come forward to participate in our MUDRA program, which is a program under Power Up 10,000 to boost and help Malaysian businesses." "The MADANI Government's commitment is to continue to empower the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector as the main pillar of the country's economic development, including ensuring more inclusive entrepreneurial development involving the Indian community through various special schemes and targeted assistance," he said. He said this after attending the Sales Carnival and Entrepreneur Engagement Session of the Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI) together with KUSKOP agencies in conjunction with Mother's Day celebrations. The program, organised by MAICCI, brought together approximately 30 local entrepreneurs with 10 agency booths under KUSKOP participating to open up networking spaces, advisory services and financing opportunities for local SMEs. Sim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam, congratulated MAICCI and Sri Muniswarar Temple on the success of organising the carnival, which he described as an important platform to further boost the people's business activities. KUSKOP also welcomes the organization of the Indian Entrepreneur Carnival tour series by MAICCI throughout the country, and will provide full cooperation including mobilizing agencies under it to participate in the program. The participation of the KUSKOP agency in the carnival aims to provide explanations, information and provide services directly to participating Indian entrepreneurs. Touching on the redevelopment of the Bukit Mertajam Indian Society building, Sim said the historic building, which was established in 1952, would be redeveloped as a symbol of the Indian community in Bukit Mertajam, as well as for the convenience of the general public. -- BERNAMA

MUDRA funds 2,000 Indian entrepreneurs, RM70 million allocation

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) has approved financing of RM70 million to nearly 2,000 Indian entrepreneurs nationwide through the Entrepreneur Capital and Indian Economic Stimulus .... read more

SME Corp Allocates RM12 Mln To Bolster Local Entrepreneurs, Businesses

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 2026 — SME Corp Malaysia has allocated RM12 million to strengthen the development of local entrepreneurs and businesses, which will benefit 500 Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs. The .... read more

DOSM Expands Economic Census 2026 To Medium, Large Companies

JELI, May 9 2026 — The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) has entered the second phase of the Economic Census 2026 nationwide, covering medium- and large-sized companies, Chief Statistician Datuk .... read more

Island Tourism Sector In Sabah Needs Diesel, Petrol Subsidie

SEMPORNA, May 8 2026– The Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) is seeking diesel and petrol subsidy assistance for the state’s tourism sector, particularly operators in island areas. .... read more

Lim Guan Eng Proposes RM5 Billion Interest-Free Loans, Moratorium For MSMEs

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged the government and banking sector to introduce a RM5 billion interest-free loan scheme and a one-year loan moratorium .... read more

\According to HSBC Global Investment Research, BNM made a small but significant change in its statement when it clarified its monetary policy stance as “consistent” with the current outlook, from “supportive”. However, the HSBC branch still believes that BNM is likely to maintain the rate for the remainder of this year. HSBC Senior ASEAN Economist Yun Liu said BNM also changed its language on inflation by expecting inflation to "increase slightly" from "remaining moderate", reflecting concerns over domestic cost pressures stemming from high global commodity prices. "Malaysia is in a more resilient position compared to other regional countries because Malaysia is a net exporter of energy. This does not mean that Malaysia will be protected from energy shocks, however, the impact is expected to be smaller compared to other Asian economies," he said in a research note. According to RHB Investment Bank Bhd, monetary policy will continue to be data-driven, guided in particular by growth prospects and inflation trends, while strong economic fundamentals and continued subdued inflation support a broadly stable policy stance. The investment bank maintained its 2026 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast at 4.7 percent, but expected a continued rise in oil prices to US$140 per barrel could reduce Malaysia's growth prospects by between 0.5 and one percentage point. Meanwhile, CIMB Treasury and Market Research is of the view that BNM's latest statement contains a clearer acknowledgement that rising energy prices and supply chain disruptions due to conflicts in West Asia have begun to affect global growth momentum. According to him, the central bank continues to view current inflationary pressures as largely supply-driven and temporary, thus reinforcing expectations for the OPR to be maintained for a longer period than the initial tightening. CIMB also explained that Malaysia's direct trade exposure to Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and Iraq remains moderate at around 1.5 to 2.0 percent of total exports. This suggests the overall impact is expected to occur through commodity prices and global demand flows rather than direct trade disruptions, he added. MBSB Investment Bank Bhd also maintained its expectation that the OPR would remain set at that rate this year, supported by resilient domestic growth, positive labour market conditions, continued investment activity and continued demand for electrical and electronics exports. The investment bank warned, however, that prolonged geopolitical conflict could cause global energy prices to remain high and could lead to an inflation outlook "high for an extended period" for the rest of the year. "Therefore, government policy measures, particularly fuel subsidies and targeted interventions, will be important in curbing the possibility of increasing inflationary pressures," he added. BNM's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Thursday decided to maintain the OPR at 2.75 percent. The rate has not changed since a 25 basis point cut in July 2025. In a statement yesterday, the central bank explained that at the current OPR level, the MPC believes the monetary policy stance is appropriate and consistent with the prospects of continued price stability and sustainable economic growth.

BNM expected to maintain OPR at current level throughout the remainder of 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision on the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) being maintained at the current level of 2.75 percent on Thursday reinforced expectations that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) may keep .... read more

CEBU: ASEAN is committed to strengthening intra-regional trade, including increasing trade between member countries to at least 30 percent by 2030. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN member states need to move as a more organised and united bloc to address the impact of global conflicts, including disruptions to regional trade, economy and security, especially during conflicts in West Asia. He said ASEAN needs to emphasize efforts to streamline free trade agreements (FTAs) and facilitate the movement of goods among member countries to strengthen intra-ASEAN trade. "Intra-ASEAN trade has not yet reached 25 percent. We want trade between ASEAN countries to reach at least 30 percent by 2030." "We are looking at the current status, the obstacles and the steps that need to be taken. Therefore, we want the memorandum of understanding (MoU), ASEAN FTA and the movement of goods to be streamlined." "If possible, trade between ASEAN countries should also not be subject to tariffs," he told Malaysian media on Thursday. Mohamad said the conflict in West Asia was an important lesson to ASEAN that cooperation and understanding among member countries was essential to face regional and global challenges. "Each has its strengths and advantages. We need to find a formula for how we can strengthen cooperation and help each other," he said. Regarding the ASEAN Foreign and Economic Ministers' Joint Meeting held on Thursday, Mohamad said it was an initiative initiated under the Malaysian chairmanship to ensure coordination between the political-security and economic pillars. He said that ASEAN's development had previously been largely based on political and security aspects, but the focus had now shifted to strengthening the economy and more comprehensive regional cooperation. He said that a joint meeting involving ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Economic Ministers was held to ensure that every decision could be coordinated across all ASEAN pillars, including economic, social and cultural.

ASEAN targets 30 percent intra-regional trade by 2030 – Mohamad

CEBU: ASEAN is committed to strengthening intra-regional trade, including increasing trade between member countries to at least 30 percent by 2030. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN member .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR -- The ringgit continued yesterday's momentum as it opened higher on Thursday amid expectations that the local currency has the potential to continue to rise today. Market consensus is that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is expected to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 percent. At 8am, the local currency was trading at 3.905/9300 against the US dollar from 3.9230/9275 at the close on Wednesday. BNM will hold its third Monetary Policy Committee meeting today, with market players expecting the OPR to remain unchanged at 2.75 percent pending an updated assessment of Malaysia's inflation and growth prospects. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Chief Economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit's performance was also driven by increased risk appetite after the United States (US) and Iran were expected to be ready to reach an agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "Risk appetite increased significantly with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq jumping 1.46 percent and 2.02 percent respectively in a day to close at 7,365.12 points and 25,838.94. "US Treasury yields for two-year and 10-year terms declined by eight basis points to 3.87 per cent and 4.35 per cent respectively," he told Bernama . The US Dollar Index (DXY) decreased 0.43 percent to 98.023 points. Mohd Afzanizam said in this regard, the ringgit has the potential to continue strengthening today with BNM expected to maintain the OPR at 2.75 percent. "The US dollar-ringgit pair today is expected to move towards the RM3.90 level," he said. At the opening of trading, the ringgit traded higher against a basket of major currencies. The local unit strengthened against the euro to 4.6058/6170 from 4.6189/6242 at Wednesday's close, rose against the British pound to 5.3280/3409 from 5.3443/350 and rose against the Japanese yen to 2.5046/5109 from 2.5159/5191 yesterday. Local currencies are also mostly high compared to regional currencies. The local unit rose against the Singapore dollar to 3.0909/0986 from 3.0946/0986 at Wednesday's close and strengthened against the Thai baht to 12.1536/1898 from 12.1866/2074. The ringgit traded little changed against the Indonesian rupiah to 225.4/226.1 from 225.6/225.9 previously, and remained unchanged against the Philippine peso at 6.39/6.41.

Ringgit opens higher, expected to continue rising if OPR remains at 2.75 percent

KUALA LUMPUR — The ringgit continued yesterday’s momentum as it opened higher on Thursday amid expectations that the local currency has the potential to continue to rise today. Market consensus .... read more