Amid the intense transformations sweeping the global healthcare market, Taiwan’s medical and health industry continues to demonstrate resilience and competitiveness, actively seeking breakthroughs on the international stage. At the 2025 Anniversary of IBMI, IBMI Vice Chairman Chang-Hai Tsai officially announced the recipients of the “2024 Benchmark Enterprise Awards,” recognizing Taiwanese companies that have delivered outstanding performance over the past year in three key areas: innovative R&D, international licensing, and major investments.
Tsai emphasized that the purpose of establishing the “Benchmark Enterprise Awards” is to honor Taiwan’s medical biotechnology sector for its excellence in innovation and international competitiveness. The awards are divided into three categories: “International Licensing Benchmark,” “R&D Breakthrough Benchmark,” and “Major Investment Benchmark,” each representing critical milestones for Taiwan’s technology export, innovation capacity, and industrial upgrading.
The “International Licensing Benchmark” requires significant international licensing deals with a total licensing amount exceeding $100 million USD, and annual recognized royalties above $10 million USD. The “R&D Breakthrough Benchmark” focuses on innovative products addressing major global diseases, requiring marketing approval in at least two of the U.S., EU, or Taiwan markets within the year, or the completion of global Phase III clinical trials. The “Major Investment Benchmark” recognizes large-scale investments in healthcare and the health industry, including facility construction, expansion, or acquisitions, with a minimum investment of $200 million USD.
The sole winner in 2024 was Bora Pharmaceuticals, which stood out in the “Major Investment Benchmark” category. Since its establishment in 2007, Bora has been deeply engaged in pharmaceutical manufacturing services. In 2024, the company launched an international expansion strategy, acquiring two U.S. companies and a sterile injection manufacturing plant, with a total investment of $267 million USD, demonstrating the ambition and execution capability of Taiwanese enterprises in global deployment.
Notably, no awards were given in 2024 for the “International Licensing Benchmark” or the “R&D Breakthrough Benchmark” categories. Tsai candidly acknowledged that amid intensified global market competition in 2024, Taiwan’s technologies urgently need to be more proactively showcased internationally. Accelerating innovation and R&D is essential for Taiwan to seize the lead in the global market.
