04/20 Taiwan BIO Weekly
2026-04-20 |
| Taiwan BIO Weekly |
| Researchers make breakthrough with 'superbug' pathogen 18 April, 2026 Taiwanese researchers have unlocked a key mechanism of a so-called 'superbug' in a breakthrough that could lead to improved vaccines and treatment strategies to counter the pathogen. National Sun Yat-sen University associate professor of marine biotechnology Lee I-ming and Academia Sinica Institute of Biological Chemistry adjunct research fellow Wu Shih-hsiung headed the team that cracked a crucial molecule in Acinetobacter baumannii, the university said in a news release on Thursday. More... |
| The tumor chip from Taiwan that catches what mouse trials miss 17 April, 2026 A year-old startup from Hsinchu, Taiwan is preparing to make its American debut. Fluidiconic Bio will join four other Taiwanese startups at the Plug and Play Silicon Valley Summit this May, pitching a high-information-density tumor-on-a-chip platform that its founders believe can do what decades of animal testing cannot: reveal, with greater resolution, how a cancer drug behaves inside a human tumor -- and help pharma teams make better decisions before they reach the clinic. More... |
| MegaPro Bio's cell therapy MPB-2354 named Top 8 in SelectUSA Tech healthcare category 16 April, 2026 MegaPro Biomedical (TW: 6827) announced on 16th April that its independently developed cell therapy product MPB-2354, based on a nanoparticle technology platform, has been selected as a Top 8 finalist in the healthcare category of the SelectUSA Tech startup competition, part of the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit hosted by the US Department of Commerce. MegaPro Bio is scheduled to join a Ministry of Economic Affairs delegation in early May to participate in related events and engage with startup ecosystems and international investors in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. The selection reflects official US recognition and validation by professional judges of the company's nanoparticle technology platform in terms of innovation, clinical development potential, and international market strategy. More... (in Chinese) |
| Study suggests olfactory system linked to autism 16 April, 2026 Taiwanese scientists have linked abnormalities in the olfactory region of mouse brains with behaviors connected to autism spectrum disorder, using a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based brain mapping technology. Academic Sinica Institute of Molecular Biology distinguished research fellow Hsueh Yi-Ping and Institute of Information Science associate research fellow Wang Chien-yao collaborated in the study, the National Science and Technology Council said in a statement yesterday. More... |
| BIO Asia-Taiwan 2026 to Be Held in Mid-July in Taipei Press release 16 April, 2026 The annual event, BIO Asia-Taiwan 2026, jointly organized by Taiwan Bio Industry Organization (Taiwan BIO) and the global Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), will take place from July 15 to 19 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, TaiNEX 1 and 2. This year's theme, 'Asian Inspiration, Global Impact,' highlights the integrative power of innovation together with AI to connect Asia with global networks, investment, regulation, and supply chains, creating an international platform to accelerate biotech commercialization. More... |
| Easywell Biomedicals' new drug advances toward US FDA review 16 April, 2026 Easywell Biomedicals (TW: 1799) announced at an investors' conference on 16th April that its 505(b)(2) new drug TLX-042, a liquid oral formulation for epilepsy, has officially submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US FDA. With additional regulatory filings advancing in both the US and China, the company is expected to enter a phase of rapid growth. More... |
| Accelerating innovation deployment at BIO Asia-Taiwan 15 April, 2026 The annual global biotech event, BIO Asia-Taiwan 2026, will take place from July 15 to 19 under the theme 'Asian Inspiration, Global Impact, ' highlighting speed and the integration of AI to accelerate biotech innovation and commercialization. Co-organized by Taiwan Bio Industry Organization (Taiwan BIO) and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the event is set to reach a record scale amid rising international investment and industry participation, with over 10,000 partnering meetings, 2,200 exhibition booths, and participation from more than 20 countries, underscoring Asia's growing role as a key hub for global biotech innovation and capital. More... (in Chinese) |
| Handa Pharmaceuticals multi-target cancer drug nears launch, 2026 outlook positive 15 April, 2026 Handa Pharmaceuticals (TW: 6620) held an investor conference on 14th April. The company stated that, in addition to continued profit contributions from multiple sclerosis and hematology/oncology drugs this year, its multi-target cancer drug HND-039 will also be a key operational focus. The company is actively advancing pre-launch preparations to capture a US market opportunity exceeding US$2 billion. The company maintained a cautiously optimistic outlook for this year's performance, while also emphasizing close monitoring of potential impacts from US tariff policies, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Most Favored Nation (MFN) drug pricing policy. More... (in Chinese) |
| Anbogen Therapeutics' ABT-301 studies selected for presentation at AACR 15 April, 2026 Clinical-stage drug developer Anbogen Therapeutics (TW: 7784) recently announced significant progress in its lead compound Imofinostat (ABT-301), with two key research abstracts officially accepted for presentation at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. The findings not only confirm ABT-301's strong performance in enhancing immunotherapy efficacy for colorectal cancer, but also reveal a novel mechanism for overcoming chemotherapy resistance in 'king of cancers' pancreatic cancer. More... (in Chinese) |
| GlycoNex secures Japan's PMDA approval for GNX1021 Phase I trial 15 April, 2026 GlycoNex (TW: 4168) has received Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) approval to commence a first-in-human Phase I clinical trial of GNX1021, its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate, for advanced gastrointestinal cancers. The approval enables GlycoNex to begin clinical-stage development for its proprietary glycan-targeting ADC platform. More... |
| Genomics BioSci & Tech to be listed in May, with a price of NT$25 per share 15 April, 2026 Genomics sequencing company Genomics BioSci & Tech (TW: 4195) is expected to be listed on Taiwan's Innovation Board stock market in early May, with provisional price of NT$25 per share. The company will also hold a pre-listing investor briefing 15th April. The company reported that it is currently focusing on four major business areas; multi-omics research services, clinical testing, CRDMO, and instrument distribution, with full-year revenue expected to grow steadily. More...Ê(in Chinese) |
| Andros Pharmaceuticals advances two new drugs into Phase IIb/III clinical trials 15 April, 2026 Andros Pharmaceuticals (TW: 6917) reported on 15th April that global pain management is rapidly shifting fromtraditional opioid-based therapies toward non-opioid and high-safety novel formulations to reduce the risks of addiction and abuse, and as such precision pain management solutions are rising significantly. The company's two pipeline candidates--APC101, an analgesic spray, and APC201, an anti-inflammatory pain relief foam--are such solutions, and have received approval in both Australia and the United States to enter Phase IIb/III clinical trials. A multinational patient enrollment is set to begin, with a target of enrolling 333 patients. More... (in Chinese) |
| BIO Asia-Taiwan bets on AI to bring more drugs from lab to life 14 April, 2026 BIO Asia-Taiwan said Tuesday that advances in AI are helping accelerate drug development and strengthen Taiwan's push for greater self-sufficiency in biotechnology. Organizers made the remarks at a press event in Taipei, highlighting how AI is contributing to new drug development and enabling scientific breakthroughs that shorten the path from clinical trials to market. More... |
| Taiwan's Senhwa Biosciences secures funding up to NT$500M to accelerate AI-driven drug development 14 April, 2026 Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TW: 6492), a Taiwan-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GEM YIELD BAHAMAS, an affiliate of the global investment firm Global Emerging Markets (GEM). Under the agreement, GEM intends to provide up to NT$500 million in terms of strategic funding to support Senhwa's advancing pipeline, AI-enabled drug discovery initiatives, and global expansion strategy. More... |
| SciVision Biotech secures Taiwan's first EU MDR Class III certificate for dermal filler 12 April, 2026 SciVision Biotech (TW: 1786) has made a major breakthrough in its global expansion. Its proprietary hyaluronic acid dermal filler brands, HYADERMIS and FACILLE, have officially obtained European Union Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) Class III (high-risk) medical device certification issued by the British Standards Institution (BSI). SciVision Biotech is now the first company in Taiwan to secure MDR certification for dermal fillers, marking a milestone for the country's medical device industry and establishing a high regulatory compliance benchmark in the global aesthetic medicine market. More... (in Chinese) |
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| Taiwan Bio Industry Organization (Taiwan BIO) Tel: +886 2 27836028 Fax: +886 2 27836027 Email: biotaiwan@gmail.com BIO Asia-Taiwan 2026 (15-19 July, 2026) ========================================= Taiwan Bio Industry Organization (Taiwan BIO) Room C229, 2F, Bldg. C, No. 99, Ln. 130, Sec. 1, Academia Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei, Taiwan (11571) ========================================= |