Taiwan's Locus Cell poised to capture global biopharma shift at BIOJAPAN 2024

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Oct. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The ongoing US-China tech war has significantly impacted the global biotech landscape, particularly with the recent passage of the US Biosecurity Act. This legislation restricts collaboration between several Chinese biotech firms and the US federal government, prompting a shift in international orders towards other regions. Against this backdrop, Taiwan's regenerative medicine industry is rapidly emerging as a key player, attracting considerable attention from the international community, particularly in Japan.

At the BIOJAPAN 2024 exhibition, Chairman J.R. Chiu (second from the right) and CEO Yu-Hsiang Chang (first from the right) of Rerum Regeneration Technologies delivered a speech on Taiwan's regenerative medicine law, capturing the attention of the industry. Hitachi's General Manager Sei Murakami (third from the right) gave opening remarks, emphasizing the cooperation between the two companies in the field of regenerative medicine.

At BIOJAPAN 2024 in Yokohama, Taiwan's leading regenerative medicine company, Locus Cell (6891), is taking center stage. Invested in by Taiwan's National Development Fund, the company recently held a beam-raising ceremony for its new Zhubei plant, slated for completion in 2025. This facility is poised to become the largest cell therapy production base in Asia. Locus Cell's factory design emphasizes mass production of regenerative medicine products, aiming to enhance production efficiency and product quality to meet the growing market demand. Furthermore, Locus Cell has partnered with Hitachi Group to establish a comprehensive CDMO service system and has already secured orders from Japan.

"Taiwan's recent passage of the "Regenerative Medicine Act "and "Regenerative Medicine Product Act" will have a profound impact on the cell therapy industry," said Locus Cell Chairman Jiunn-Rong Chiou. He highlighted that the new law establishes a conditional approval system for regenerative medical products intended to treat life-threatening or severely disabling diseases. This allows Taiwan to introduce cutting-edge medical technologies that are still in Phase II clinical trials internationally, accelerating the process of bringing these therapies to market.

Chiou emphasized Locus Cell's capabilities as a Taiwanese CDMO, stating, "We are fully equipped to undertake cell product orders that meet international standards and provide high-quality services to clients in Japan and other countries." He added that this is particularly significant in the current shifting global political and economic landscape, highlighting the competitive advantages and collaborative opportunities for Taiwanese companies.

Locus Cell CEO Chang Yu-Hsiang also noted that the Taiwanese government mandates certification of cell therapy production facilities by regulatory authorities, such as GMP certification. The government is also actively promoting product launches and encouraging R&D investment. "Taiwan's comprehensive development plan for the biotech industry has prepared us well to seize the opportunities arising from this global shift," Chang said. "We sincerely welcome collaborations with Japan's regenerative medicine industry to jointly create a brighter future."