The Development in the Regenerative Medicine Industry: Analysis on Global Technology Trends and Local Academic-industry Cooperation Modes

Cell therapy is an emerging therapy that uses the differentiation and proliferation properties of stem cells to repair organ or tissue damage to treat specific diseases. In terms of regenerative treatment using stem cells, vigorous clinical trials are currently underway, and future industrialization is expected. The purpose of this study is to understand the feasibility of regenerative medicine industry by using USPTO data to analyze the global patent trends of four important technologies: mesenchymal stem cells, exosomes, iPSC and CAR-T. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with experts from the Taiwan Cellular Medicine Association, experts from the Stem Cell Society, physician supervisors of hospital cell therapy centers, and heads of cell preparation biotechnology companies, and other stakeholders to analyze the industry-university cooperation model of the regenerative medicine industry through the quadruple helix value creation model. The role played by the principal investigator, how social ties, e.g. “Simmelian Ties”, have become the key success factor of industry-university cooperation, and how external factors such as “Boundary Work” affect the operation of industry-university cooperation, and provide feasible suggestions for practice.