Malaysia Association for Cell and Gene Therapy (MACGT) was conceived through the joint efforts of cell therapy industry, physicians and researchers who share a mission to provide scientifically credible and medically appropriate CELL THERAPIES to informed patients /consumers, and it is motivated by the recognition of cell therapy as an important industry in our country, Malaysia, as well as by the fact that cell therapy is the next rising industry to emerge from the impressive advances in life science research especially since the past 2 decades. MACGT was officially formed on 15th February 2012 by the Registrar of Societies, Malaysia. Members of MACGT are companies who are involved in bio-banking to immune cells and cell culture & stem cell laboratory as well as stem cells therapeutic research. The formation of MACGT is not just motivated by the increasing recognition of cell therapy as an important industry to our country, but also as a rigorous science based discipline with its own body of requisite knowledge and skills those working in the field are expected to possess to demonstrate professional competence.

Cell Therapy research brings regenerative medicine a step closer, but many of the ideas and concepts remain controversial. Members of MACGT face several challenges, including unique development and manufacturing needs, which require the regulatory frameworks to ensure they are aligned to facilitate rapid development, commercialization, and evolution of these safe and effective therapies. MACGT with its role to build and maintain strong relationships with the regulatory bodies by hosting annual dialogue between MACGT members and the regulatory bodies as this is necessary to protect the public at large and the industry in particular. MACGT hope to create synchronize relationship, especially between the regulatory bodies, scientists, clinicians and commercial entities to work together to see that cell therapies or regenerative medicine have both health and economic benefits

Several promising initiatives are already underway, Malaysia as a developing country is making a sky high progress in this field example TEd skin by Cell Tissue Technology, a member of MACGT, hyaline cartilage by Dr Saw Khay Yong from the Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Centre (KLSMC) the pioneered a technology that can regenerate damaged articular cartilage back to its near-natural state, known as hyaline cartilage. Currently, KLSMC Stem Cells (KLSMC-SC), a subsidiary of KLSMC, member of MACGT, has received approval from US-FDA to conduct a Phase IIb multi-center clinical trial using this Malaysian innovated technology

MACGT, representing the cell therapy industry has been taking up the role to promote evidence based therapies in the development of the cell therapy healthcare industry. For more information about MACGT, please visit www.mact.org.my