The global boom in AI applications is reshaping the biotechnology and healthcare industries, with AI increasingly being used to accelerate drug discovery and development. This shift has fueled a wave of new strategic alliances. Genomics BioSci & Tech. (Genomics) entered the U.S. market in 2023 through its investment in Wyzer, and in 2024, it raised capital for its subsidiary LAI SHI TE SHENG YI, bringing in strategic investors to speed up new drug development. In July this year, Chairman Michael Chou (周孟賢) personally attended a forum announcing a strategic alliance with BIONET Corp., highlighting his determination to accelerate Genomics’ diversification and global expansion.
Founded in 2001 by Dr. Teh-Yuan Chou (周德源), former head of Academia Sinica’s Rice Genome Center, together with his son Michael Chou, the current chairman, Genomics has long specialized in genetic sequencing and scientific research. Its applications span from agricultural technology and species breeding to disease prevention, making it the largest commercial genomic sequencing company in Taiwan. In recent years, under Michael Chou’s leadership, the company has aggressively expanded into precision medicine genetic testing, CRDMO services, and drug development.
Genomics operates Taiwan’s largest genomic core laboratory with a complete sequencing platform and has partnered with Illumina, the world’s largest genomics company, to establish an Asia-Pacific genome sequencing hub and a Taiwan genomic database. The company also built Taiwan’s first PIC/S GMP-compliant nucleic acid and peptide facility, extending its reach into nucleic acid manufacturing and CDMO services.
In peptide development, Genomics is currently the only company in Taiwan capable of offering customized peptide CRDMO services in small-volume, high-mix production. Leveraging this flexibility, it continues to partner with multiple biotech firms and academic institutions in neoantigen drug development.
The growing use of NGS (next-generation sequencing) in precision medicine has also accelerated Genomics’ clinical diagnostics business, including the development of laboratory-developed tests (LDTs), proprietary diagnostic services, and overseas market expansion.
Michael Chou emphasized that Taiwan’s new regenerative medicine laws will drive demand for related infrastructure; new environmental regulations on refrigerants in diagnostic instruments are expected to trigger a wave of equipment replacement over the next 5–10 years; the inclusion of NGS in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance and rising public awareness of health will further expand clinical applications; and the U.S. Biosecurity Act, aimed at preventing genetic data leaks and ensuring national security, has created a “de-Sinicization” trend that could help Taiwanese firms capture more business opportunities.
Amid these trends, Genomics’ operational adjustments are paying off, setting the stage for a rare market upswing that will strongly support its future business growth.
Chou further highlighted that its subsidiary LAI SHI TE SHENG YI focuses on developing disease-targeting drugs and biotechnology platforms. AI-driven drug discovery is transforming traditional R&D models, particularly in tumor neoantigen drugs, which require accurate prediction through AI modeling. By combining Genomics’ expertise in NGS technology with BIONET’s AI-based genetic simulation capabilities, the company aims to accelerate the development of neoantigen therapies and deliver new hope for cancer patients.
Resource: 基米董事長周孟賢 揪夥 推AI新藥開發
