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Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park Receives Its New Tenant: France’s Virbac R&D Center
The world’s 7th largest animal health pharmaceutical company Virbac held the groundbreaking ceremony for its R&D center in Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park (PABP) on Nov. 26, marking the initial technical cooperation and investment with Taiwan national agricultural research institutes. The event’s iconic significance symbolizes Taiwan’s animal vaccine innovation capacity has achieved international recognition and is highly competitive.
Establishing animal vaccine R&D partnership
The Council of Agriculture (COA) pointed out that Virbac is the world’s 7th largest animal health pharmaceutical company, and has been actively seeking Taiwanese R&D partner since 2012. Currently, the French company cooperates with various Taiwanese research institutes and has completed technology transfer for the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) Viral Challenge Model with the Agricultural Technology Research Institute (ATRI).
The PABP approved Virbac’s request to lease 1.08 acre for the construction of its Animal Vaccine R&D Center on Jan. 16, 2018. An additional NT$ 200 million will be invested into the project for setting up cleanroom lab. The company plans to include an animal facility and a pilot plant for scaling vaccine production in the future.
With the support from COA, the ATRI established the Adjuvant Technique Training and R&D Laboratory in 2019, and has reached a consensus for cooperation with Virbac. Both sides will sign a MOU, which is expected to elevate Taiwan’s animal vaccine industry and expand its global coverage.
Building a world-leading animal vaccine industry cluster
The COA stated that in order to promote the development of animal vaccine industry, the Council has strengthened the link between the industry and relevant government institutes through the support of technology policy projects, and the integration of key animal vaccine agencies including Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Animal Health Research Institute, and ATRI. With the innovative animal vaccine R&D generated by the close research partnership between Virbac R&D Center and Taiwan’s animal vaccine R&D agencies, the COA expects to build up a world-leading animal vaccine industry cluster and to gain access to global markets
