Upcoming biotech forum aims to boost cooperative efforts

Taiwan's largest international biotechnology forum, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation's 2002 Biotechnology Policy and Strategy Conference, will be held in Taipei at the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel next month.

The one-day conference will focus on how biotechnology is developing throughout Asia, high-lighting the experiences of Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea.

An official from China's National Center for Biotechnology Development, Wang Yu, will be a keynote speaker.

Officials hope to use the forum to boost regional collaboration and "to let people know the capabilities we have here in Taiwan," said Wu Mao-kung (吳茂昆), vice chairman of the National Science Council.

Biotechnology was labeled a priority industry for development last year by Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who pledged NT$52 billion in government support over the next five years. Although spurious media reports have placed the figure much higher, Wu confirmed the number announced by Chen last year.

An estimated US$4 billion in additional biotech investment money is available from the private sector.

Following the president's announcement, a number of high-profile biotechnology deals have been signed in Taiwan, including an NT$14 billion investment by US pharmaceutical firm Tanox Inc.

Then, in September of last year, the Taiwan Livestock Institute saw the birth of its first cloned calf, nicknamed Hsubao. The calf died after only five days, but researchers said it was still a step forward for their cloning program.

These successes prompted the research arm of SG Securities in Singapore to name Taiwan the top location out of five Asian nations for biotechnology investment, ahead of Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and India. China was listed as the `market to watch' by SG.

"I think we looked at Taiwan not just for biotech but also for entrepreneurship. It's pretty easy to raise money in Taiwan, but in terms of R&D, Singapore and China are ahead," said an analyst at SG in Taipei.

He also said hosting the APEC forum would boost Taiwan's chances of winning new biotech investment, through increased collaboration.

The report gave Taiwan high marks for the leadership role taken by the government, strong research capabilities, plentiful venture capital and government funding, and solid protection of intellectual property rights.

Inviting an official from China could also help boost biotech cooperation across the Strait.

Aside from a few pharmaceutical manufacturing investments by Taiwanese entrepreneurs in China, little work is being done in a joint manner -- despite the fact that researchers in both places are focusing a lot of effort on the potential of finding new drug targets in Chinese medicine.

The APEC forum will be followed at the same location by BioBusiness Asia 2002, a two-day symposium that will focus on the issues concerning business models, networking and market opportunities.