Author: Liu King-pong
Taiwan's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry received a boost in September from MediVas LLC, a drug and biological delivery system developer based in San Diego, California. The U.S. firm announced Sept. 20 that it has selected Taiwan as the site for its Asian operations.
"Taiwan has probably the most dynamic economy in Asia and its way of doing business is very similar to that in the United States," said Kenneth Carpenter, president and chief executive officer of MediVas. "But, most importantly, the Taiwan government has committed to making the biotech and pharmaceutical industry a trillion dollar business," he added, referring to the government's strong support for the development of biotechnology. The remarks came at the Sept. 20 grand opening ceremony of MediVas Asia Corp.
Carpenter's optimistic statement is the result of the close cooperation between the government and the local biotechnology industry. This trend was recently highlighted with a statement made by Ho Mei-yueh, chairwoman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development. She announced Sept. 14 that the state-owned National Development Fund would invest US$20 million in TaiMed Biologics Co., a new biotech firm focusing on AIDS drugs.
TaiMed Biologics' competitive advantage lies in that it has acquired the patent from the U.S.-based Genentech Inc. for its lead clinical product, TNX-355. The drug shows promise as an effective treatment for AIDS patients and those infected with HIV. The patent rights to a product with such potential no doubt prompted Ho to indicate that the establishment of TaiMed Biologics marked a breakthrough in Taiwan's biotech industry.
MediVas' business, unlike most biotech and pharmaceutical firms, focuses mainly on changing the way pharmaceuticals are delivered. Its technology platform uses protein-like polymeric biomaterials to make drug and biological delivery more effective.
What makes the new investment in Taiwan more significant is that MediVas Asia's facility on the island will focus on the development of so-called "super-generic" drugs, Huang Bor-fuei, director of the industry promotion and marketing department at the Development Center for Biotechnology, stated Sept. 22.
Self-described as the matchmaker between MediVas and Taiwan, Huang pointed out that the firm defines super-generics as drugs whose original patents have expired but would be re-patented by MediVas Asia. "This re-patenting is a result of improving or modifying the delivery of the drug. Such modification has several advantages, including longer duration of drug effectiveness, less undesirable side effects and changes in the method of administration," he said.
"For example, you might take the drug once a week instead of once a day, or you can stop taking a drug by injection and start to take it orally," he explained.
MediVas Asia had talked to local pharmaceutical firms about joint development of super-generics. Local pharmaceutical companies typically focus on production of low-margin generic drugs, however, and did not embrace MediVas' plans.
"Although local firms showed interest, they were slow to act, perhaps due to a risk-aversion mindset and an overly conservative culture of avoiding change," said Huang.
According to Huang, China and India are usually seen as the only new emerging biotech markets in Asia. Taiwan is not associated with advances in biotechnology and is often overlooked. Huang took a different view, however. "I believe a sustainable technology is important in making biotech and pharmaceuticals our twin-star industries for our future economy," he stated. "A powerful platform technology can enable the improvement or even the creation of a variety of new products that can help the whole industry, and that is where our true niche lies."
Using the analogy of a fishing pole and a fish, Huang explained the value of a powerful platform technology. "MediVas' drug-delivery system can deliver more than one successful product, in the same way a fishing pole can deliver a continuous supply of fish. In the long run, more than being a successful company, MediVas will have positive economic impact on Taiwan's biotech industry."
MediVas Asia would set up its own research-and-development center in Taiwan and the company would establish its manufacturing facilities for super-generic production within a year, Huang revealed.
Write to Liu King-pong at kpliu@mail.gio.gov.tw
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