05/18 Taiwan BIO Weekly
2026-05-18 |
| Taiwan BIO Weekly |
| Formosa Laboratories' generic eribulin wins EU approval, boosting anticancer manufacturing credentials 14 May, 2026 Formosa Laboratories (TW: 4746) said its self-developed generic eribulin injectable has secured European marketing approval, following prior approvals in Taiwan and the US, expanding its footprint in the global high-value oncology generics market. The company noted that eribulin is a highly potent anticancer injectable requiring advanced high-containment manufacturing capabilities, with the API synthesis involving 64 steps and 19 chiral centers, highlighting the product's significant technical and manufacturing complexity. More... (in Chinese) |
| Lukas Biomedical launches capacity expansion program 14 May, 2026 Lukas Biomedical (TW: 6814) said its proprietary LuLym-T memory T-cell therapy has demonstrated strong clinical outcomes and commercial momentum in treating solid tumors, prompting the company to launch a capacity expansion program as patient demand continues to outpace current manufacturing capability. Lukas Biomedical said the therapy has treated more than 100 patients under Taiwan's special cell treatment regulations, with cell therapy revenue in the first quarter of 2026 rising 52% year-over-year. The company added that existing laboratory capacity is nearing full utilization, with patient bookings extending into the second half of the year, underscoring growing market confidence and accelerating commercialization potential. More... (in Chinese) |
| Applied BioCode swings to profit in Q1 on contributions from US operations and pet health market 14 May, 2026 Applied BioCode (TW: 6598) reported a Q1 turnaround to profitability, driven by strong growth in its US laboratory market and pet health diagnostics segment. The company said US lab business revenue grew 50% year-over-year, while pet health revenue surged 130%, supported by increased reagent usage from existing lab clients, new customer additions, and expanding demand for its digital bio-barcode platform. Q1 revenue reached NT$220 million, up 81% year-over-year. More... (in Chinese) |
| Steminent Biotherapeutics partners with Terumo BCT to advance cell therapy products 13 May, 2026 Steminent Biotherapeutics (TW: 7729) has signed a cooperation agreement with US firm Terumo BCT to jointly develop intelligent cell expansion manufacturing processes, aiming to strengthen its global competitiveness in cell therapy products. By integrating resources and complementary expertise, the partnership seeks to accelerate the establishment of smart cell processing platforms to support late-stage clinical development and future commercial manufacturing preparations for Steminent Biotherapeutics' cell therapy pipeline. More... (in Chinese) |
| Bora Navigates A Transitional 1Q26 And Sets A Strong Foundation For Rest Of The Year Press release 13 May, 2026 Bora Pharmaceuticals (TW: 6472; OTCQX: BORAY) today announced its financial results and operational highlights for 1Q2026 and provides full year outlook. More... |
| Taiwan, UK health agencies strengthen medical technology cooperation 13 May, 2026 Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration and the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on Monday renewed a three-year cooperation agreement to strengthen health care collaboration, CNA reported. The institute is one of the world's major health technology assessment agencies. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, it provides clinical treatment guidelines, evaluates drug costs, and offers health care recommendations to help hospitals improve their operations. More... |
| PharmaEssentia secures Taiwan approval for new ET drug 13 May, 2026 PharmaEssentia (TW: 6446) announced on 12th May that Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare has approved a new indication for its drug Ropeg for the treatment of adult patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) who are resistant or intolerant to hydroxyurea therapy. The approval marks a major milestone, as Taiwan becomes the first country in the world to approve Ropeg for ET, ending a nearly 30-year absence of new therapies in the ET field and underscoring a significant achievement for Taiwan-developed innovative drugs in the global myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) market. More... (in Chinese) |
| Roche, MET to open disease treatment hub 13 May, 2026 International biotech company Roche Pharmaceuticals and Medical Excellence Taiwan (MET) yesterday announced the launch of the Asia Pacific Hub for Rare Disease Innovation and Treatment, signing a letter of intent under the witness of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The hub would integrate Taiwan's expertise to provide people with rare genetic diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, access to advanced technologies, clinical expertise and emerging treatments, including gene therapies. More... |
| Tripartite Therapeutics to debut on Emerging Stock Board, targeting ADC drug market 12 May, 2026 Tripartite Therapeutics (TW: 7920) will debut on Taiwan's Emerging Stock Market on 20th May. The company is leveraging its proprietary OmniLink universal hydrophilic linker technology and Polarpeutic hydrophilic payload modification technology as dual core platforms to position itself as a key global technology partner in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development, with the goal of securing a landmark licensing deal in the second half of this year. Major institutional investors include TaiAn Technologies, the National Development Fund, and Eminent Venture Capital. More... (in Chinese) |
| AP Biosciences to list on Taipei Exchange in early June, targets one licensing deal per year Press release 12 May, 2026 AP Biosciences (TW: 6945), which is scheduled to list on the Taipei Exchange in early June, said it aims to complete at least one licensing deal annually over the next three years as development of its innovative drug pipeline advances. The company stated that its core assets, including ophthalmology drug IBI302 and bispecific antibody candidate AP505 for oncology, have become key targets for licensing and commercialization discussions. IBI302, which targets wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema, achieved its Phase III primary efficacy endpoint in March. Meanwhile, AP505, a PD-L1?VEGF bispecific antibody, was licensed to China's Tasly Pharmaceutical Group in 2019 and is currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials in China. More... (in Chinese) |
| MacroGenics to Sell GMP Manufacturing Operations to Bora Pharmaceuticals 11 May, 2026 MacroGenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGNX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, and Bora Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TW: 6472; OTCQX: BORAY), a global leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing, today announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement in which MacroGenics will sell its good manufacturing practice (GMP) drug substance manufacturing operations to Bora, subject to customary closing conditions. More... |
| HanchorBio Expands HCB206 Development into Autoimmune Diseases and Advances IND-Enabling Studies Press release 11 May, 2026 HanchorBio, Inc. (TW: 7827), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing next-generation immunotherapies for oncology and autoimmune diseases, today announced HCB206, the company's internally developed dual-target fusion protein candidate, is advancing toward IND-enabling studies following preclinical data supporting its potential application across oncology and autoimmune diseases. More... |
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