Tides of Promise: Sponge-Derived Marine Natural Products in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia (SEA) harbors one of the world’s richest reservoirs of marine biodiversity, offering immense potential for natural product discovery. This review presents a comprehensive survey of sponge-derived marine natural products (MNPs), with notable activity, reported from SEA over the past two decades, highlighting their chemical diversity, biological activities and regional research trends. Analysis of the past two decades of MNPs data reveals that sponges (Phylum Porifera) remain the dominant source of new MNPs, representing nearly half of all discoveries in the region. Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand are leading contributors, with Indonesia exhibiting the highest productivity but limited local research leadership. The South China Sea and Indonesian archipelagos emerge as biodiversity and bioprospecting hotspots, yet large areas remain underexplored. Bioactive metabolites isolated from SEA sponges demonstrate potent anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and enzyme-inhibitory properties, underscoring their value for pharmaceutical innovation. Despite this promise, uneven research capacity, infrastructure gaps and environmental degradation constrain sustainable exploitation. By consolidating recent advances in lead compound development and identifying key taxonomic as well as geographic priorities, this review strengthens the scientific foundation for marine drug discovery in SEA and supports integration of bioprospecting with regional Blue Economy and biodiversity conservation agendas and programs.