Channa.id – The Seaweed Investment and Forum Festival (SIFFEST) was once again held by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia (KKP) on 1–2 November 2022 at the JW Marriott Hotel Ballroom, Surabaya.
As one of the invited participants, PT Mega Medica Pharmaceuticals (MMP) attended and took part in the official event by presenting its seaweed-based product innovation combined with snakehead fish (Channa striata) in the form of a prototype named Channa Film.
This was conveyed directly by the Director of PT MMP, Sutristo, who also delivered remarks and explanations.
“We are proud that this product has been well received by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, and the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, as the only seaweed-based pharmaceutical product showcased at the event,” Sutristo told reporters on Monday (7/11/2022).
Seaweed-Based Innovation by PT MMP Highly Appreciated by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment
Image of Seaweed as Indonesia’s “Green Gold” | Source: Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) RI
During SIFFEST 2022, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono conveyed five key programs for the blue economy sector in his opening speech.
More specifically, within the third program—development of environmentally friendly aquaculture in marine, coastal, and freshwater areas—Minister Sakti emphasized the government’s focus on empowering seaweed as Indonesia’s “green gold,” particularly the species Eucheuma cottonii, for which Indonesia is the world’s largest producer.
“We give high appreciation to PT Mega Medica Pharmaceuticals, which has introduced a breakthrough by creating a seaweed-based product combined with snakehead fish,” Sakti stated during the event.
A similar statement was delivered by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Through his live-streamed remarks, Luhut expressed support for the innovation developed by PT MMP. He also emphasized his support for SIFFEST as a platform to accelerate and develop the seaweed industry from upstream to downstream.
“I hope this event serves as a forum for business and investment players while showcasing domestic seaweed-based product innovations, such as those developed by PT MMP,” Luhut said.
As a Form of Appreciation, the Ministry Offers Assistance to Support Product Development
The presence of Channa Film was warmly welcomed by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries as the only seaweed-based pharmaceutical product featured at the event. During the occasion, ministry staff specifically requested the MMP team—represented by Asep Aripin, S.Si., M.Farm—to submit a written proposal outlining the type of support needed for further development of this seaweed-based pharmaceutical product.
Channa Film as an Innovative Product to Accelerate Diabetic Wound Healing
Guntur Berlian, M.Si., Scientific Affairs Manager of PT MMP, provided a detailed explanation of the product innovation and presented scientific evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of Channa Film in accelerating the healing of diabetic wounds in laboratory rats.
“Several wound-healing parameters such as wound contraction, epithelial and collagen growth, as well as neovascularization were reported by the research team from the Faculty of Medicine, University of North Sumatra, as parameters proven to be accelerated by Channa Film,” Guntur explained during his presentation at SIFFEST 2022.
In his closing remarks, Guntur emphasized that in developing Channa Film, PT MMP still requires support and assistance from various parties, especially the government. Such assistance includes regulatory and policy support, as well as partnerships with investors for technology development, so that this prototype can be further refined and prepared for broader use.