Leading global biotechnology company Amgen and NSG BioLabs, Singapore’s largest and leading provider of biotechnology (biotech) co-working laboratories and offices, have collaberated to boost biotech start-up ecosystem in South-East Asia, starting with Singapore.

Amgen Singapore Manufacturing facility held the novel initiative to reward the emerging start-ups on 15 March, in Singapore. Singapore Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Alvin Tan graced the event.

NSG BioLabs has helped its resident startups achieve notable breakthroughs, achieving over S$100 million in funds raised, major partnerships, and new product launches since 2020. Over 20 local and international resident companies with diverse expertise in transformative and life-changing technologies and applications ranging from genome editing to cancer immunotherapy, artificial intelligence, neurodegeneration drug discovery, precision medicine, synthetic biology and more are accelerated at NSG BioLabs.

"The Gloden Ticket" to boost the biotech Start-ups in South East-ASia

Launched in early 2022, the Golden Ticket sponsorship was the first sponsorship announced by the NSG Tomorrow Program to accelerate the growth of innovative biotech startups and aid them in executing their vision.

Emerging as the first wiinner of the initiative "Amgen Golden Ticket", Albatroz Therapeutics has secured a one-year free residency in NSG Biolabs’ fully-equipped, turnkey, and certified BSL-2 laboratory, as well as additional facility benefits and connections to Amgen's scientific and business leaders. Albatroz has gained access to network of scientific and business leaders to execute its scientific goals.

“Amgen's exciting new partnership with NSG BioLabs at Biopolis is contributing to the evolution of Singapore's biotech ecosystem – aligning with our mission to discover, develop and deliver life-changing medicines to patients everywhere. We are excited about the universal cancer therapy and anti-arthritic platform being developed by Albatroz Therapeutics in Singapore, and we look forward to engaging with the team as they help to advance the leveraging of novel biotherapeutics to treat grievous illnesses plaguing our world today,” said Alan Russell, Vice President, Biologics Therapeutic Discovery, Amgen.

NSG BioLabs and Amgen stand by their commitment to helping biotech startups grow and facilitating Southeast Asia's transition into a regional biotech powerhouse through two more Amgen Golden Tickets over the next two years. NSG Tomorrow seeks to provide crucial support, network access, and environment to empower ambitious biotech startups.

“Singapore aims to generate a novel pipeline of therapeutic assets. To achieve this, biotech startups need the right infrastructure and resources. Singapore has anchored Amgen and NSG BioLabs as the key players in the ecosystem. Our partnership can provide mentorship and support that can accelerate a startup's journey in this space,” said Soh Leng Wan, Assistant CEO, Manufacturing and Engineering, Enterprise Singapore.

“The Amgen Golden Ticket is a transformative prize for biotech startups as it addresses the pressing concerns of a lack of resources, access, and support. Our dynamic winner, Albatroz Therapeutics, will join our diverse community of residents that already includes successful scientific innovators such as L'Oréal Research & Innovation and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, in addition to promising local startups like Engine Biosciences and ImmunoScape. With them having access to our state-of-the-art equipment and space, we look forward to witnessing future developments that Albatroz will lead," said Daphne Teo, CEO and Founder of NSG BioLabs.