BRIN accelerates biodiversity-based infectious disease drug research

Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has intensified efforts to develop new drugs against infectious diseases using the nation’s rich biodiversity. The agency announced this acceleration during the International Symposium on Drug Discovery and Development, which took place in Jakarta on Tuesday. Researchers from Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia participated in the event, aiming to foster collaborative scientific work from initial compound discovery to preclinical safety assessments. The symposium was led by BRIN’s Deputy Head, Amarulla Octavian, who emphasized Indonesia’s status as a megabiodiversity country with vast untapped potential for discovering novel therapeutic agents. Despite this, he acknowledged that transforming biological resources into effective drug candidates remains a critical challenge requiring rapid progress in research and development. Infectious diseases continue to pose a major threat globally, and Indonesia faces persistent issues with endemic conditions such as malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, and amebiasis. Octavian highlighted the increasing complexity of these threats due to factors including climate change, globalization, and rising pathogen resistance. Strengthening research capabilities is crucial for enhancing Indonesia’s pharmaceutical resilience, aligning with the government’s broader strategic goals. Currently, Indonesia relies heavily on imported pharmaceutical raw materials and active ingredients, with over 90 percent of these supplies coming from abroad. This dependency underscores the urgency of developing locally sourced alternatives. To address this, BRIN aims to optimize Indonesia’s biodiversity through innovative health technologies and research initiatives. These efforts seek to improve national competitiveness while tackling public health challenges. The drug development process, according to Octavian, demands extensive multidisciplinary cooperation, spanning from identifying promising compounds to conducting rigorous preclinical safety evaluations. Translating local biodiversity and preliminary research into practical therapeutic solutions is key to bolstering national health resilience and contributing to global health responses. A representative from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Indonesia Office, Hiroyuki Matsuda, echoed these sentiments. He stressed that infectious diseases remain one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide, and the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens has heightened the need for new treatments. Matsuda emphasized that successful drug discovery hinges on interdisciplinary collaboration and shared knowledge, rather than isolated efforts by individual researchers or institutions. He expressed hope that the symposium would help build stronger research networks, particularly for emerging scientists, and catalyze new partnerships aimed at creating life-saving medications. The symposium also included discussions on how to leverage Indonesia’s unique ecological diversity to advance medical science. Participants explored ways to integrate traditional knowledge with modern biotechnology, ensuring that indigenous resources are harnessed responsibly and effectively. This approach reflects a growing trend in global health research to combine local expertise with international standards and methodologies. Looking ahead, BRIN plans to expand its focus beyond infectious diseases to include other areas of public health, such as improving water security through underground river research and advancing sustainable agricultural practices like virus-free garlic seed technology. These projects exemplify the agency’s commitment to fostering innovation across multiple sectors to meet national and global health objectives. As the symposium concluded, participants left with renewed determination to collaborate and drive forward the development of new therapies rooted in Indonesia’s natural wealth.