ITRI held the “Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Industry Promotion Exchange Forum” on May 21, with support from the MOEA and MOHW. The event integrated cross-institutional R&D capabilities from organizations including ITRI, the Pharmaceutical Industry Technology and Development Center (PITDC), and the Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) to promote the deployment of essential medicines and key active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). During the event, 17 pharmaceutical-related organizations engaged in discussions on technology collaboration and licensing, while 14 companies submitted applications for AI-driven life science innovation R&D subsidy programs, covering the development of small- and large-molecule drugs as well as APIs.
ITRI noted that amid growing geopolitical tensions and global supply chain restructuring, pharmaceuticals are increasingly being regarded as strategic national resources. Taiwan still relies heavily on imported APIs and certain essential medicines, and any disruption to the supply chain could affect healthcare system operations and medication access for the public. In response, the Executive Yuan has launched the “National Pharmaceutical Supply Promotion Program,” which plans to invest NT$24 billion over four years through cross-ministerial collaboration led by the MOEA and MOHW to establish autonomous supply capabilities and diversified backup mechanisms.
Among the planned investments, the MOEA will allocate NT$13.16 billion focusing on three major areas: essential medicine deployment, independent key technologies, and supply chain resilience enhancement. Through policy tools such as AI-driven life science innovation R&D subsidies, the ministry also aims to support pharmaceutical manufacturing, formulation technologies, upstream and downstream integration, and low-carbon production development.
Lu Hsin-Ying(呂信穎), Director General of ITRI’s Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, stated that the government will adopt a “research institutes lead, industry follows” model. Under this approach, research institutions will first establish manufacturing processes and pilot-scale validation capabilities for high-barrier pharmaceutical products, before transferring technologies and collaborating with industry partners to facilitate commercialization, reduce development risks, and accelerate industrial upgrading.
The MOEA emphasized that pharmaceutical supply is no longer solely a healthcare issue, but also one closely tied to national security, social stability, and industrial competitiveness. Moving forward, the government will continue strengthening Taiwan’s pharmaceutical supply resilience and autonomous capabilities.
【2026-05-21/Global Bio & Investment】
