Biontech signs a formal licensing agreement at the Taipei Invention Show
Report dated September 30, 2016. Reporter: Yi-Chun Yeh, Invest Taiwan.
Biontech and a research team from National Kaohsiung Normal University isolated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A1 from the mud-volcano soil of Yanchao, Kaohsiung. Their development of this microorganism for biological plant protection attracted attention at the 2016 Taipei International Invention Show and Technomart.
Founded in 2002, Biontech focuses on building a microbial strain library, developing microbial products, industrial fermentation and formulation development. Its independently developed BIOBAC biological fungicide received Taiwan’s first biopesticide permit in 1999 and subsequently obtained registrations abroad. At the time of this report, the company described itself as having the largest number of registered biological pesticide products among Taiwanese companies. In 2013, it signed a product-development agreement with Bayer.
The exhibition was organized by five government bodies: the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Council of Agriculture. At the agriculture pavilion in the Taipei World Trade Center, five companies participated in formal licensing ceremonies.
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine licensed the mass-production and application technology for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A1 to Biontech. This strain originated from mud-volcano soil and was developed through the university collaboration.
Founder Bruce Chen explained that A1 is a naturally isolated strain. Through mass production and formulation development, it can be used to protect crops. Its strong competitiveness and production of antagonistic metabolites support both preventive and treatment applications against plant pathogens.