30 MAY 2024 – Cytopeutics is proud to celebrate this significant achievement and the recognition of Prof. Dr. Chin on receiving the esteemed ISCT Global Trailblazer Award for Emerging Markets. The major ISCT Global Awards honor scientific excellence and are presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of cell and gene therapy. The ISCT Global Trailblazer Award for Emerging Markets recognizes an ISCT member from an emerging economy who has demonstrated leadership and impact in advancing the growth of Cell and Gene Therapy in their region. This year, Prof. Dr. Chin Sze Piaw of Malaysia is honored with this award. Dr. Chin is the first Asian to receive any major awards from the ISCT since its inception in 1992. This is indeed a very proud moment for all Malaysians and Asians.
Prof. Dr Chin is an adjunct professor and honorary fellow with the Centre for Stem Cell Research at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and co-founder of Cytopeutics. He is also a consultant physician at CMH Specialist Hospital. In 2023 Cytopeutics became the first company in the world to have its stem cells products declared Halal according to Sharia by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Cytopeutics is the first and only company to have successfully passed through the second stage of screening for stem cell product registration to legitimately continue its stem cell programs in the market.
About the ISCT: Established in 1992, the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) is made up of clinicians, regulators, researchers, technologists, and industry partners. With over 3,000 cell and gene therapy experts and more than eighty thousands members across five geographic regions and representation from over 60 countries, ISCT is the global leader focused on pre-clinical and translational aspects of developing cell and gene-based therapeutics. ISCT drives the advancement of research into a standard of care and addresses challenges in evolving global regulatory environments, sets global scientific standards, develops sector-wide consensus on issues at the forefront of the cell and gene therapy field, and ensures the highest ethical principles are upheld in a rapidly changing field.
This honour is now bestowed upon Prof. Dr. Chin, being first ever Asian recipient of major global ISCT award for his role in promoting and facilitating the scientific and innovation ecosystem in Malaysia and Southeast Asia properly in line with regulations, entrepreneurial drive in establishing Cytopeutics, and advocating for allogeneic cell therapy to be accepted by Muslim patients. This is a most wonderful accolade, recognition, and acknowledgment for Prof. Dr. Chin as a stem cell expert and especially for Malaysia striving to be a biotech hub. Let us all celebrate this moment as prideful Malaysians!
