The ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs unveiled results of 25 state-sponsored biomedical research projects Oct. 9 in Taipei City as part of the agency’s efforts to sharpen the local sector’s global competitiveness.
“After years of successful public-private collaboration, Taiwan has made tremendous progress in the development of medical equipment and biomedical technologies,” said Lin Chuan-neng, director-general of the MOEA Department of Industrial Technology.
“The DOIT will continue promoting the private sector’s R&D capabilities and investment through similar projects and effective policymaking,” he added.
According to the DOIT, highlights of the research efforts include an intestinal scanning device developed with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor and imaging technologies provided by the Taoyuan-based Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology.
Hsinchu-based Industrial Technology Research Institute is also a major contributor to these projects, showcasing a detector for sleep abnormalities jointly developed with New Taipei City-based Taidoc Technology Corp., and a spinal cord microsurgery technology that has been transferred to Taichung-based Intai Technology Corp.
“The DOIT is also stepping up efforts to promote Taiwan’s biomedical sector with three specific policy tools,” Lin said.
These include a fast-track review mechanism for clinical trials that has seen 10 new medicines enter the final stage of testing, he noted.
“The MOEA is also subsidizing R&D on 31 selected generic drugs targeting Europe, Japan and the U.S., with output expected to reach NT$16.5 billion (US$561.22 million) by 2015.” (THN)
Write to Meg Chang at sfchang@mofa.gov.tw