Photo: NARLabs Medical Instrument Value Creation Alliance introduced the entire counseling process, a service conducted by a startup team before a product enters the market.

Bio ICT creates a new force within Taiwan's industry
With the increasingly widespread application of Bio, its commercial opportunities and value must not be ignored. The total output of the global biomedical industry is valued at more than US$1000 billion. NARLabs studied the long and complex value chain in the biotechnology industry and determined that Taiwan can render its biotechnology industry a leading industry only through interdisciplinary cooperation and by assisting related enterprises in identifying their “niche” in the market chain.

The combination of Bio and ICT is considered the most promising industry in the 21st century. Ching-Hua Lo, President of NARLabs, in his opening remarks revealed that technology industries are undergoing structural transformation; biotechnology and medical and health care are gradually becoming the focus of developments in Taiwan. Because of the increase in the output value of the global biomedical industry and the intensified competition among such industries, the advantages of Taiwan's biomedical industry must be determined to develop the industry in an efficient and advanced manner, thereby enhancing the value of Taiwan's biomedical industry.

Kuei-Ann Wen, Associate Vice President of Research & Development Office of NCTU, mentioned that in recent years, all industries have been facing economic turmoil regarding supply chains. To create the next opportunity for Taiwan, interdisciplinary and industry–academia cooperation is imperative. Taiwan has excellent experts in electronic engineering and medical fields, which is a vital asset for developing interdisciplinary industries within Bio ICT. The collaboration of experts from interdisciplinary fields can enable the ICT industry to fulfill the actual demands of biomedicine, thus ensuring the integration of both Bio and ICT to derive higher industrial benefits in the future.

Addressing the topic of Medical Instrument Alliance, presenting the latest R&D results
NARLabs Medical Instrument Value Creation Alliance is highly esteemed by all circles since its inauguration last year. The alliance introduced its four units and the counseling service offered to startups before their products enter the market: electromedical equipment from the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC); high molecular medical materials from the Plastics Industry Development Center (PIDC); metallic medical materials from the metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC); and application of preclinical animal models and surgical platform from National Laboratory Animal Center (NLAC).

Chung-Hsin Wang, Founder & CEO of Trust Bio-sonics, used an ultrasound contrast agent as an example, sharing his personal experience with NARLabs counseling services. Chung-Hsin Wang said that a feature of the biotechnology industry is to produce small amounts of goods with great diversity. Therefore, this industry requires more interdisciplinary cooperation and specialization including patents, regulations, trials, and preclinical animal testing. This requirement poses a major challenge for startup businesses. During the transformation of the biotechnology industry, NARLabs Medical Instrument Value Creation Alliance provides opportunities for startup businesses to establish their own technology platform and launch their products in the market.

NARLabs continues to stride forward in developing future medical materials
NARLabs Medical Instrument Value Creation Alliance is also the main theme presented by NARLabs at the 2015 Bio Taiwan Exhibition. NARLabs presented strategies that can be used to assist startup businesses in overcoming difficulties related to the implementation of medical services such as establishing product specifications, conducting preclinical trials and clinical trials, and launching products in the market; those are critical issues when developing medical materials and devices.

Bio ICT is likely to be the next major profitable industry in Taiwan. NARLabs will continually collaborate with experts from industry, academia, and research institutions to promote Taiwan's biomedical industry to the global stage.