Research-based biopharmaceutical multinational AstraZeneca, one of the earliest healthcare companies to enter the Taiwan market, has been working to deliver the best in patient care in Taiwan for over 70 years. The company’s dedication to advancing medical science is reflected in its innovation and outstanding performance in R&D. It is also focused on “beyond the pill” solutions, actively improving the patient journey through various collaborations and visionary projects aimed at preventing disease.
AstraZeneca has long focused its efforts on the three main therapeutic areas of oncology, cardiovascular and renal metabolism, and respiratory and immunology. Furthermore, its decision to partner with Oxford University last year in developing a coronavirus vaccine and providing it broadly and equitably on a non-profit basis during the pandemic demonstrates the company’s patient-centered ethos.
Taking the lead in Taiwan’s robust clinical trials ecosystem
Scientific leadership is only possible with continuous R&D and investment. Over the past five years, AstraZeneca has reinvested an average of 25% of its total revenue – approximately US$6 billion per year – in R&D. In Taiwan, the company’s track record in science has also been outstanding. Not only does it lead the industry in the number of clinical trials it carries out in Taiwan, but the speed with which some of those trials are launched is among the highest in the world. In addition, the company’s investment in clinical trials over the past three years has more than doubled, an expansion of its efforts to help Taiwanese patients. AstraZeneca’s innovative drive and its ability to continuously make scientific breakthroughs also helped it become the fifth largest international pharmaceutical firm in Taiwan in 2020. *
Taking corporate social responsibility and sustainability to new levels
Starting in 2019, AstraZeneca Taiwan launched the Beyond BioMed Accelerator, a public-private partnership comprising government agencies, industry, hospitals, and academic institutions and aimed at advancing the field of medical science. Some of the accelerator’s major partners include BioHub Taiwan and Amazon Web Services.
Since Beyond BioMed was established, sixteen Taiwanese biomedical innovation startup teams have participated in the program, receiving mentorship and support from internationally renowned institutions in the biomedical industry. The accelerator’s promotion of linkages and matchmaking with foreign biomedical firms has already seen some concrete results. At the same time, it has helped AstraZeneca strengthen its ability to provide future solutions for fulfilling unmet clinical needs. This year, the focus of the Beyond BioMed Accelerator has expanded to include the areas of digital health and biomedicine.
Forming partnerships to improve patient care
AstraZeneca is also promoting disease awareness through various collaborative efforts. Many diseases can actually be discovered and treated early, and the company has thus responded to the call of governments, public health authorities, and the healthcare profession by establishing several disease prevention programs. Initiatives such as the Goal 50 program, the Healthy Lung program, and the Lung Ambition program for increasing lung cancer survival rates are geared toward actively improving the patient journey. They also improve patients’ quality of life, reduce mortality rates, and decrease medical expenses.
Making Astrazeneca a great place to work
Being able to consistently innovate also requires a commitment to inclusion and diversity and fostering a workplace where employees can feel comfortable with speaking their minds. Only if each and every employee is fully invested in AstraZeneca’s mission and core values can they begin to maximize their potential and work toward improving the wellbeing of patients.
To that end, AstraZeneca Taiwan became recognized and certified as a Top Employer in APAC this year. Besides acknowledging the work of its outstanding employees in successfully carrying out AstraZeneca’s spirit of innovation-driven growth, the company also thanks them for working together to create an ideal workplace.
AstraZeneca has long been one of the most prominent pharmaceutical firms in the Taiwan market, and has helped lay the foundation of Taiwan’s medical industry and assisted in the development of Taiwan’s biotech and drug manufacturing industries. Looking ahead, the company plans to continue its active investment in R&D and medical innovation in Taiwan. It will also work toward becoming the best partner in developing Taiwan’s biotech industry as it seeks to honor its commitment to protecting the health of Taiwanese patients.
