During the 2024 National Biotechnology Week (NBW) at the University of the Philippines – Los Baños from November 25-29, 2024, the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) hosted the “Turning Visions into Ventures” session, where it featured inspiring stories of researchers and innovators who successfully transitioned their biotechnology projects into commercialized products that can contribute to healthcare and sustainable agriculture practices.

Dr. Clarissa Yvonne J. Domingo, a veterinarian and professor at Central Luzon State University (CLSU), shared her remarkable journey as the founder of Blitzkrieg Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. Through her project, Philippine-Made Rapid Test Kits for Transboundary Animal Diseases with the brand name ANDALI, Dr. Domingo developed innovative animal diagnostic kits for livestock and poultry diseases.

“Early detection and rapid response are important to mitigating the devastating effects of transboundary animal diseases,” Dr. Domingo emphasized. Her first project, the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) RT-LAMP test kit, was mass-produced for pilot testing with support from CLSU’s Agriculture and Food Technology Business Incubator (AFTBI). With the help of CLSU-AFTBI, she was able to access patent training, promotional activities, and laboratory facilities, allowing her to market ANDALI kits to various clients.

Building on the success of the PED RT-LAMP test kit, by winning research grants, Dr. Domingo expanded her work to develop test kits for Classical Swine Fever (Hog Cholera) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) with funding from DOST-PCAARRD. Her efforts have earned local and international recognition, demonstrating the impact of homegrown solutions in the early detection of animal diseases.

Shifting focus from animal diagnostics to human health, Dr. Cecilia Maramba-Lazarte, Director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine at UP Manila’s National Institutes of Health, shared her commercialization journey with Guaviderm, a natural anti-bacterial ointment derived from guava. “We drew inspiration from traditional healers who used guava to treat wounds and infections,” Dr. Maramba-Lazarte said.

The development of Guaviderm involved an extensive process, starting with surveys of traditional healers and a review of folkloric literature, followed by agricultural research on Guava cultivation and pharmaceutical studies on processing, formulation, and quality control. Strict pre-clinical and clinical trials eventually led to the registration of Guaviderm with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration. Today, Guaviderm is a low-cost herbal ointment effective against superbugs and skin infections, highlighting the potential of traditional knowledge in modern medicine.

From healthcare, the session transitioned to sustainable agriculture with the journey of Mr. Joseph Mario Navasero, founder of Insiklo Sustainable Agriventures Corporation. Supported by DOST – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), his company, Insiklo – short for insekto and siklo (insect and cycle) uses Black Soldier Flies (BSF) to convert bio-waste into high-quality animal feed and organic fertilizer.

“Our goal is to lead the movement toward sustainable agriculture and waste management by turning bio-waste into valuable resources,” Navasero explained. Starting with a thesis on manure treatment for poultry farms, INSIKLO expanded into a BSF farm with the help of DOST-PCAARRD’s incubation programs. Also, INSIKLO’s partnership with the local government unit of Los Banos, Laguna, facilitated market waste collection and processing, further boosting the company’s growth.

INSIKLO’s innovations earned recognition, placing in the top 10 of the DOST-AIM-MAP Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture and representing the Philippines at the EcoThon 2023 Global Startup Festival in Seoul, South Korea. With its success, the company is now exploring expansion opportunities to promote sustainable bio-waste management solutions on a larger scale.

The Council’s “Turning Visions into Ventures” session exemplified how Filipino researchers and innovators went for the extra mile to transform their projects into commercialized products. The commercialization journeys of the speakers in animal diagnostics, human health, and sustainable agriculture shared in the session underscored the potential of biotechnology in making the Philippines a safe and sustainable place to live.

Written by: Ranz Elifred Valdez