TAIPEI (TVBS News) — An executive from a biotechnology startup emphasized the importance of new drug development during the Bio Taiwan Committee (BTC, 生技產業策略諮議委員會) meeting on Monday (Aug. 26).
Judy Chou (周慧泉), president and CEO of AltruBio (全心醫藥生技), asserted that small biotech companies often create the top drugs, which large pharmaceutical companies later acquire, highlighting that new drug development is not exclusive to big pharma.
Chou proposed that Taiwan should strive to become a preferred partner for new drug development, advocating for a "Created In Taiwan" (CIT) initiative. She believes this strategy could benefit the public and help Taiwan penetrate the international market.
The CIT initiative focuses on creating new drugs and positioning Taiwan as a global center for translational research. Chou outlined the goal of advancing drug development to Phase 2 clinical trials or beyond. She suggested that Taiwan initially build Business-to-Business (B2B) experience before developing Business-to-Consumer (B2C) brands.
Chou underscored that translational research should prioritize biologics, cell and gene therapies, and utilize AI to accelerate drug development. She also stressed the importance of integrating medical health and big data to promote precision medicine and drug development.
Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) highlighted Taiwan's lack of interdisciplinary AI talent. Yeh announced that starting in September, 25 universities, including National Taiwan University (台灣大學) and National Cheng Kung University (成功大學), will launch AI-related programs to cultivate talent for various industries, including biotech.
