Medigen partners with WHO to share COVID vaccine tech

Medigen partners with WHO to share COVID vaccine tech

2023-08-30

COVID-19 may not be in the headlines much these days, but COVID vaccines are still needed around the world. In a deal with the WHO, Taiwan’s Medigen has agreed to license out its COVID vaccine technology. Through the WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, or C-TAP, Medigen will share its vaccine, technology and training with people in need worldwide. News of the licensing deal sent Medigen shares soaring on Wednesday.

COVID has ravaged the world for more than three years. Although it’s no longer a global health emergency and border controls have been lifted, the virus is still in circulation. Through a WHO initiative, Taiwan’s Medigen has become the first private manufacturer to license out its COVID vaccine technology.

Paul F. Tokehagen
Medigen international business development director
We’ve entered an agreement to share our technology, our COVID vaccine formulation, the production technology and know-how, including training, with the world.

On its official website, the WHO says Medigen’s vaccine will be licensed to ensure equitable access to a COVID vaccine worldwide. By joining the WHO initiative, Medigen stands to collect licensing fees from buyers.

Leo Lee
Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp
This kind of protein subunit-based COVID-19 vaccine is very suitable for so-called emerging markets, especially those that don’t have sufficient cold-chain equipment. It can be stored at just 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. The WHO believes that improving access to vaccines rapidly in low and middle income countries, or allowing them to produce them locally, is crucial for global public health pandemic prevention.

Medigen’s COVID vaccine is the first vaccine technology added to the WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, C-TAP. Previously, all the technologies included were for medicines, such as Pfizer’s oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid, or Merck and Ridgeback’s Molnupiravir.

Chiang Kuan-yu
Taipei City Hospital
This timing is quite unfortunate. Because most countries have already procured BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. Countries with insufficient vaccine resources such as developing countries could become the prime market for Medigen’s expansion.

The announcement, made by WHO and Medicines Patent Pool, gave a boost to Medigen shares on Wednesday. The stock opened up NT$6.3 and closed limit up, in a surge of about 10%.

WHO通過高端新冠疫苗技轉股價漲停鎖死

2023-08-30

台灣疫苗廠商"高端"研發的新冠疫苗，近期獲得了世衛組織技轉認可，未來將開放授權，提供疫苗配方和生產技術給有需要的國家，同時也成為第一個加入聯合國"藥物專利池MPP"的疫苗產品，替全球公衛近一份心力。而消息一出也讓高端今天(30日)的股價，一開盤就上漲6.3元，漲停鎖死。

新冠疫情在過去三年肆虐全球，如今疫情穩定、各國解封，但病毒並沒有消失，世衛組織曾呼籲企業分享疫苗技術，如今台灣的高端，就成為全球第一家，通過技轉許可的疫苗製造商。

[[高端國際事業發展處副總 Paul F. Torkehagen]]
“我們與C-TAP達成協議，將與全球分享我們的新冠疫苗配方，生產技術和經驗包括人員培訓。”

WHO官網公布，高端的新冠疫苗未來將開放授權，讓各國都能申請使用，而高端也能藉此收取合理的授權金。

[[高端疫苗執行副總李思賢]]
“這種蛋白質次單位蛋白的COVID-19的技術平台，它非常適用在所謂的新興市場，尤其他們的冷鏈設備不足的時候，它只要保存在2到8度C。WHO的立場當然說，中低收入國家，更多的人們可以很快速取得疫苗，甚至在地生產，對於公共衛生防治是很重要的。”

高端的新冠疫苗技術，也是第一個願意加入聯合國MPP"藥物專利池"的疫苗產品，因為過去加入的都是藥品類，像是疫情期間廣為熟知的，輝瑞口服抗病毒藥，以及默沙東藥廠的"莫納皮拉韋"。

[[北市聯合醫院醫師姜冠宇]]
“時間點比較可惜的是，大部分的國家都已經採用BNT或莫德納。沒有有足夠疫苗資源的，第三世界國家可能才是高端未來要發揮的一個場域。”

WHO和藥品專利聯盟29號一對外宣布，利多消息也反映在股價上，30號台股一開盤，高端就上漲6.3元，漲停鎖死，漲幅將近10%。

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Nobunaga Chai
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TSMC has responded, saying that it’s common industry practice to have overseas experts support a project. It said the Taiwanese specialists had a deep familiarity with the equipment being installed, and would continue to partner with locals at the job site. In the meantime, questions will continue to hang over TSMC’s 2025 production deadline, as its project sits under global scrutiny.

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Older people in Taiwan are now more likely to be employed than not. That’s according to the latest government statistics, which show that more than 66% of 45-to-65-year-olds are currently employed. That figure reflects not just those who stay in work, but also those who have retired and then gone back to work. More and more industries are opening their doors to older employees, especially sectors hit by the post-pandemic labor shortage, such as hospitality.

Dressed in a bright yellow T-shirt, 72-year-old Judy is retired, and she’s off to work in this hotpot restaurant.

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Judy
Restaurant group employee
The pandemic came along, and after three years, I felt like I’d just been at home all the time. I felt very disconnected from society, so I thought “Why not try going out to work again?”

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On Aug. 1, we had 406 middle- and old-aged partners working in onsite operations. Compared to the same date last year, it’s more than 100% growth.

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DPP lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei stands with representatives from publishing houses. Together they urge the government to invest more in e-books to support Taiwan’s culture.

Chiu Chih-wei
DPP lawmaker
In 2021, the government only distributed NT$400,000 in e-book subsidies. In 2022, it gave only NT$290,000. For the publishing industry, this provides just a drop in the bucket.

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Chiu Chih-wei
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Chen Chun-sheng
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