Three leading companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector—Bora Pharmaceutical, Lotus Pharmaceutical, and PharmaEssentia—have delivered impressive financial results for the first half of this year. All three are actively planning to compete on the global stage, but industry insiders point out that each company is employing different strategies to expand their presence internationally, with some relying on a single product and others boasting a wide array of drug approvals across the globe.
Bora Pharmaceutical is positioning itself to become one of the top ten Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) worldwide. Lotus Pharmaceutical is focusing on leveraging over 100 generic drug approvals to enter international markets. Meanwhile, PharmaEssentia has achieved significant success with just one product, the novel interferon P1101, which has secured the market for treating the rare blood cancer polycythemia vera (PV) in over 40 countries. A second indication for this drug is expected to be approved by the end of next year.
Earlier this year, Bora Pharmaceutical acquired the century-old U.S. pharmaceutical company Upsher-Smith Laboratories (USL), contributing over NT$1.172 billion in profit over two quarters, representing nearly a 70% year-on-year increase. The company’s earnings per share (EPS) reached NT$11.61, equivalent to one full share of stock. At the end of June, Bora further announced the acquisition of a U.S.-based sterile manufacturing plant, with the transaction expected to be completed by late August. This acquisition will give Bora control over ten pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities worldwide, accelerating its progress toward becoming one of the top ten global CDMOs.
Lotus Pharmaceutical has benefited this year from strong growth in U.S. shipments of its generic blood cancer drug, Lenalidomide, driving second-quarter profits to NT$1.332 billion and an EPS of NT$5.09. The company emphasized that it currently has 27 drugs awaiting regulatory approval and three more generics set to launch soon. While Lotus plans to continue developing generics, it also aims to gradually introduce complex generics, modified-release drugs, and new drugs. However, the company does not intend to venture into the CDMO business or develop entirely new drugs from scratch at this stage.
PharmaEssentia is one of the few Taiwanese companies that has successfully developed and introduced a novel drug to the U.S. market. Its product, Ropeginterferon alfa-2b (Ropeg), is a new interferon that has already secured approval in over 40 countries for treating polycythemia vera (PV). The next indication for this drug, essential thrombocythemia (ET), could receive approval as early as the end of 2025, with the company currently preparing for its marketing launch.
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