In February, 2009, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) agreed to license Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) the cell cultured Japanese encephalitis vaccine production technology developed and patented by Taiwan CDC. On August 3, 2009, IIL sent two personnel with relevant experience to Taiwan CDC to receive a two-month training in vaccine manufacturing process and assay method. This is the first time that Taiwan CDC has collaborated with an international vaccine manufacturer, which represents a major step towards international collaboration.

Cell culture-derived Japanese encephalitis vaccine is the first Taiwan CDC in-house developed vaccine. The research and development (R&D) project for the vaccine has established the scale-up production technology, successfully completed the preclinical, safety and stability study of the prototype vaccine, and obtained patents on the self-developed virus purification technology. After years of promoting the vaccine, Taiwan CDC signed a technology authorization contract with IIL on February 2, 2009. The contract is expected to transfer the technology to produce the Japanese encephalitis vaccine to India, protecting the people in India against the threat of Japanese encephalitis.

This is the first time that Taiwan has authorized the technology transfer of biological vaccines to a foreign vaccine manufacturing plant at a paid price. This project will demonstrate Taiwan CDC’s capability, maturity, and R&D personnel’s ability. Taiwan CDC hopes that such collaboration mechanism can successfully encourage government officials to commercialize R&D products, thus stimulating the local biotechnology industry, enhancing Taiwan’s international reputation and status for vaccine development, achieving the mission and goal to protect the people in Taiwan against diseases, and proving Taiwan's ability in epidemic prevention.