13 August, 2015 – International Medical University (IMU) partnered with Bioven International Sdn Bhd to organise its first Immuno-Oncology Seminar at its campus in Bukit Jalil. Bioven is a Malaysian owned company, working on clinical trials in cancer. It is currently conducting clinical trials involving drugs against lung cancer in several countries in Europe and Asia, including Malaysia. This is the first Immuno-Oncology seminar that served as a platform to link academia research in Malaysian universities and industry together. It also provided a great opportunity to explore future possible models for industry-oriented research in academia. On top of that, this seminar had also provided opportunities for invaluable insights to be shared by industry leaders on how to commercialise the IP filed by the universities as the next step after Research and Development (R&D). 
The main objective of this seminar is to share the insight of the current global innovative development of immunotherapy in cancer and IP commercialising process. It also aimed to create a platform to link academia research in university with industry in Malaysia. The two speakers in this seminar were Dr Martin Drysdale and David Baynes who are leading experts in cancer working closely with Bioven. Dr Martin Drysdale is the Head of the Drug Discovery Unit at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow and an expert in immuno-oncology. David Baynes has the expertise in taking research funding from universities into the market. He has successfully taken such a company through an IPO in the United Kingdom.
During the seminar, Dr Martin Drysdale highlighted on the current development in immuno-oncology research and pharma industry while David Baynes talked on the IP commercialising process and patent protection strategies for universities. Besides that, issues relating to research, relations with the pharmaceutical industry, the intellectual property commercialising process and management of patients for universities were also discussed.
Altogether 37 participants turned up for this seminar. Besides staff from IMU and Bioven, this seminar also attracted academics, researchers and industry representatives from other institutions such as Cancer Research Malaysia, some private biotech companies as well as other local and private universities.
