Post-21st Century: Biotechnology, Medical Technologies, and Medical Tourism in Taiwan
The conference was held on 2006 Sep 25-26 at Taipei, Taiwan. Here is just an abstract of the development of biotech industry in Taiwan. I wish I can summarize more detail ideas in the near future.
The 206 Biennial ROC-USA Business Conference and The Modern Engineering & Technology Seminar 2006 - Biotechnology, Medical Technologies, and Medical Tourism in Taiwan
The 206 Biennial ROC-USA Business Conference and The Modern Engineering & Technology Seminar 2006 - Biotechnology, Medical Technologies, and Medical Tourism in Taiwan
I. Opportunities and Challenges in Re-Designed Drugs
A. Dr. Jeng Chen, Chairman, Genovate Biotechnology Co., Ltd., ROC. Being the drug hunter, but not the drug developer is the chance of Taiwan
1. 5 Quality Attributes to make differences: Efficacy, Safety, Convenience, Indications, and Cost-Effectiveness.
2. New and Improved RDD is not good enough. The pressure is on to demonstrate rigorous and dramatic differences in risk-benefit and cost-effectiveness.
3. Opportunities/Challenges to do RDDs in Taiwan
a. Local pharmas which are mainly generics need to collaborate with research institutes.
b. Because RDD approach is highly competitive, select RDD product with niche market in Taiwan
c. To shorten the development time and to lower the risk, choose project with clear preclinical and clinical endpoint to make GO/NO GO. (Before GO needs about 10 millions NTD. After GO needs above 100 millions NTD)
d. Focus on no more than three key therapeutic areas.
e. Taiwan
f. An example of RDD. Factive which was original from LG Life Sciences in 1991 was modified by GeneSoft and approved by FDA in 2003.
II. Recent Advances and Trends in Medical Devices Technology Development
A. Dr. Jue-Chen Liu, Senior Director, Johnson & Johnson , USA
1. Develop different applications for pacemakers, such as neuron diseases.
2. Future trends, combination treatment of drug and devices.
B. Dr. Feng-Huei Lin, Director, Institute of Biomedical Engineering
1. Use scaffold (To increase density of cells), engineered stem cells, and signals (Such as cytokine, or GF) in bioreactors to create osteoblast.
2. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as DNA carrier.
3. Gadolinium hexanedione nanoparticles as a stem cell tracker.
III. New Technologies and Progress in Biomarker and Its Clinical Applications
A. Dr. Pauline Y. Lau, President, Suntec Corporation, USA
1. The right drug, for the right patient, of the right dose, at the right time
2. Transfer proteins, DNA, RNA into imaging to trace as biomarker
3. How to use these biomarkers in the future?
a. Early screening/diagnosis
b. Disease progression
c. Treatment response FDA already needs genetic marker for some drugs.
I. Modernization of Regulatory System for Biomedical Products in Taiwan
A. Dr. Shaw T. Chen, Associate Director, FDA.
1. Taiwan
2. A modern country must be mathematically manageable.
B. Dr. Chi-Chow Liao, Director General, Bureau of Pharmaceutical Affairs, The Executive Yuan
II. Successful Business Models via Effective Partnership
A. Dr. John H. Musser, Chief Operating Officer, Pharmagenesis Inc.
B. Mr. David Picard, CEO, Moleac
1. Moleac is drug hunter in Singapore , and collaborates with researchers in China
C. Dr. Ko-Chung Lin, Chairman & CEO, PharmaEssentia
1. Be the mid- and short-term company to produce revenues growth.
2. Pipelines: CoQ10, Gemcitabine, and PEG-interferon.
D. Dr. George J. Lee, Chairman, BioKey, Inc.
1. Dr. Lee is a VC of biotechnology and he shows some model of some biotech companies.
2. VMD: Virtual screening company optimized the potency, bioavailability, selectivity, and toxicity of the drugs. Endpoint to pre-clinical stage. License out to America
3. Medwaves: Microwaves to simplify the operation.
4. Mutispan: Aim GPCR drug. First they provide the reagents for GPCR assay, and GPCR screening assay. After that, they will enter the therapeutic areas.
E. Dr. T. S. Jiang, President, PhytoHealth Corporation
1. Drug development is a value added chain. From pre-IND to phase I and phase I to NDA, you will add 6 folds value on the drugs.
2. There are vertical model, product business model, platform business model, and hybrid model in biotech companies.
3. PhytoHealth cooperates with Taiwan 0.16M USD to over 60M USD.
4. PhytoHealth license drug in at IND
5. Want to be an Asia-based company.
III. New Business Model in Service Industry - Medical Tourism
A. Mr. Peter Kappert, President, Pricate Hospital Association of Switzerland
1. Provide a comfortable environment for patients in tourism places.
2. High quality of services, Sonnenhof treats patients as guests.
