TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s success in semiconductor manufacturing was no accident—it stemmed from a strategic government move to acquire Philips’ semiconductor technology in 1987 and combine it with homegrown research.
Now, Taiwan is applying the same public investment model to boost its biotech industry. Government funds were used to acquire National Resilience’s advanced pharmaceutical production platform, positioning Taiwan as a hub for innovative biomanufacturing, Nikkei Asia reported.
The acquisition was part of the 2023 launch of Taiwan Bio-Manufacturing Corporation (TBMC). Not only does TBMC share a name similar to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), but it also follows the same contract manufacturing model, focusing on messenger RNA (mRNA), gene therapy, cell therapy, and biologics.
Initially, TBMC will be staffed by about 100 employees from government-backed research institutes such as the Industrial Technology Research Institute.
The company was founded in response to COVID-19, when China interfered with Taiwan’s vaccine acquisition efforts, prompting the government to ramp up domestic mRNA production capacity.
TBMC CEO David Chang (張幼翔) said the goal is to begin mass production in 2027, with enough vaccines for Taiwan’s population by the following year. He also aims to develop TBMC into a world-class contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving a broad international client base.
Much like TSMC founder Morris Chang, TBMC has a capable leader in David Chang, who previously worked at Roche, Genentech, and BASF Bioresearch, specializing in global manufacturing and process development, according to a press release.
Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly outsourcing drug development and manufacturing to CDMOs due to cost savings and the specialized expertise required. This trend is expected to continue, especially in emerging fields such as biologics, biosimilars, cell therapy, and gene therapy.
The global CDMO market is currently dominated by Swiss, South Korean, and Japanese companies. While TBMC could challenge industry leaders, it must also contend with China, which has committed substantial funding to the field.
Some analysts predict that one-third of the world’s manufacturing industry will transition to biotechnology over the next 10 years, addressing challenges such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, marine pollution, and food crises driven by population growth.
