BioTaiwan expo kicks off in Taipei

2015/07/27

The annual BioTaiwan expo got underway July 23 in Taipei City, highlighting current technological developments in biotechnology while promoting exchanges between local and overseas industry heavyweights.

Opened by President Ma Ying-jeou, the four-day event features 600 companies from home and abroad showcasing their wares and the latest R&D at 1,200 booths. It also includes business-matching sessions, conferences, product launch, seminars and workshops.

“Biotech is a knowledge-based sector driven by innovation and one of the six emerging industries strategically promoted by government since 2008,” Ma said. “We attach great importance to the industry and have worked to boost its potential through such initiatives as the Diamond Action Plan for Biotech Takeoff and Action Plan for Biotech Industry.”

According to the president, these efforts saw the local sector’s revenues reach NT$288.6 billion (US$9.18 billion) last year, up 51 percent since he took office in May 2008, with the number of firms growing 46 percent to more than 1,600.

“As the largest gathering of its kind in Asia, BioTaiwan is serving as a tremendous platform for the country to flex its biotech muscle and create business opportunities for local firms,” Ma added.

Echoing the president’s remarks, Johnsee Lee—honorary chairman of event organizer Taiwan Bio Industry Organization—said the sector is experiencing a boom, with more and more locally produced pharmaceuticals entering late-stage clinical trials and new service providers emerging to fill rapidly growing industry needs.

“Overseas interest is picking up as well, as evidenced by record agreements in licensing and investment,” Lee said, attributing the achievement largely to Taiwan’s highly educated and motivated workforce, strong business and cultural ties to mainland China, robust venture capital industry and world-class clinical trial capability.

Going forward, Lee said he expects the expo to further enhance Taiwan’s standing in the global market and allow foreign firms to experience the innovation and vibrancy of the local industry.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=232966&ctNode=413)