Prima Nexus Sets Out a Three-Phase Vision to Strengthen Malaysian Genomic Research and Advance Precision Healthcare

JRP 1.0 applications are open until 30 December 2026. Read how JRP 1.0 works.

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 October 2026: Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd has set out the long-term direction of its Joint Research Program (Prima Nexus JRP), built around three phases: JRP 1.0 Generate, JRP 2.0 Discover and JRP 3.0 Advance. The program brings scientific expertise, genomic capabilities and Malaysian data closer to researchers, with one guiding vision: turning Malaysian data into Malaysian discoveries.

Evidence that reflects the people it serves

Precision medicine looks at genomic information alongside environmental, lifestyle and other health information to guide care, so its value depends on how well the evidence applies to the people being treated. For Malaysia, the opportunity is to build the scientific foundations to study its own health questions in depth: research that links genetic variation with biological mechanisms, clinical characteristics and treatment response, and the expertise to assess, reproduce and test what is found.

That work needs collaboration: researchers who understand the question, specialists who can design and analyse the study, and partners who help sustain it through its next stages. Collaboration sits at the centre of the program.

JRP 1.0 Generate: from research question to evidence

JRP 1.0 is now open. It provides in-kind funding for selected genomic services, with scientific guidance and support from study design through analysis and interpretation, for ongoing and future projects in healthcare and population genomics. The JRP page lists each service and the funding available for it.

The strength of a genomic study is decided before any data is generated: a clear objective, the right samples and a suitable analysis plan determine whether the data can answer the question. That is why guidance comes with every project, and why in-kind funding is there to make room for work that a limited budget would otherwise hold back.

JRP 2.0 Discover: Malaysian reference data in research

JRP 2.0 will open research opportunities around the Prima Nexus Malaysian Reference Cohort, about 9,700 people genotyped on the Illumina Global Screening Array. Planned uses include population genetics, variant interpretation and pharmacogenomics, with access subject to research, ethics and consent requirements. A preview is already open in the Malaysian Cohort Browser.

Pharmacogenomics shows why this matters for healthcare: genetic differences can change how people respond to medicines, alongside their medical history, lifestyle, environment and other medicines. The cohort holds aggregate, array-based reference data and no health outcome information, so it supports comparisons and new hypotheses; it cannot on its own establish disease risk or how well a treatment works. Bringing it together with clinically characterised studies is the step towards evidence that may one day inform care.

JRP 3.0 Advance: taking selected discoveries further

JRP 3.0 is planned as a future phase, offering deeper scientific collaboration and support towards publication for selected research and discoveries. An early finding often needs independent validation, further experiments and a close look at other explanations before it becomes a contribution that other researchers can assess, build on and challenge.

Taken together, the three phases form one pathway: generate evidence, explore locally relevant questions, and develop selected findings further. JRP 1.0 applications are open until 30 December 2026, and JRP 2.0 and JRP 3.0 will be introduced in turn. The next chapter of Malaysian genomics is one we write together.

Apply for JRP 1.0 →

About Prima Nexus

Founded in 2014, Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian research, scientific consulting and integrated research support company advancing scientific discovery and healthcare innovation. We provide end-to-end research solutions, from early-stage discovery and experimental design to cell-based studies, preclinical animal testing, clinical trials and commercialization. Our multidisciplinary expertise spans genomics, genetic applications, proteomics, molecular biology, stem cell research, bioinformatics and clinical research. Through strategic collaborations with universities, research institutions, industry and global technology partners, we connect scientific expertise and advanced technologies to accelerate research into real-world applications. Our collaborations have supported more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals and research teams at more than 40 institutions across Malaysia. More about Prima Nexus.

Media and partnership enquiries

Prima Nexus Sdn Bhd, Level 2, Mercu Aspire, 59200 KL Eco City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Email info@primanexus.com.my or WhatsApp 017-305 1076.