TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ever Supreme Bio Technology Co on Thursday announced it will acquire Shine Out Biotechnology Co in a share-swap transaction valued at NT$1.7 billion (US$55.8 million).
Under the agreement, Ever Supreme will issue 0.333 new common shares for each Shine Out share. Upon completion, Shine Out will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Ever Supreme, according to CNA.
The acquisition expands Ever Supreme’s focus beyond cancer immunotherapy to include treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Chair Liu Chu-chi (劉銖淇) noted that Shine Out, despite being founded just two and a half years ago, has quickly established itself in exosome research, developing two core technology platforms and securing three key patents.
Exosomes, tiny extracellular vesicles first identified in the 1980s, were once regarded as cellular waste. Research has since shown they carry DNA, RNA, proteins, and other biomolecules that allow them to transmit messages between cells, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Exosomes are being explored across a wide range of therapeutic fields, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and regenerative medicine.
Shine Out has leveraged genetic engineering and artificial intelligence-driven drug design to create an exosome drug platform targeting neurodegenerative conditions. Its technologies include dopamine transporter exosomes for Parkinson’s disease and integrin exosomes for central nervous system disorders, both currently in preclinical development.
The company plans to initiate two pre-Investigational New Drug meetings with the US Food and Drug Administration by the end of the year. Its patent portfolio spans Taiwan, the US, Europe, Japan, China, and Australia.
With the enactment of Taiwan’s Regenerative Medicinal Products Act, Ever Supreme could qualify for a five-year conditional license following successful Phase II clinical trials. Such a license would accelerate global partnerships and clinical expansion.
Liu said the acquisition will merge Shine Out’s exosome-based therapies with Ever Supreme’s expertise in cell therapy, creating a pipeline covering both oncology and neurodegeneration. He added that exosome and cell therapies are expected to lead the biotechnology field over the next decade.
According to market research firm Grand View Research, the global exosome market was valued at US$140 million in 2023 and is projected to reach US$794 million by 2030, reflecting growing interest and investment in this emerging area of biotechnology.
