Professor Yi-Chih Hsu of the Department of Biotechnology, CYCU has long specialized in cancer drug delivery systems and nanoparticle-based pharmaceutical formulations. She developed an innovative liposomal drug-encapsulation technology, formally referred to as “liposomal composite drug-loading platform.”
In November 2025, this proprietary technology entered technology transfer to CYCU-affiliated spin-off company Hermes Nanomedicine, Inc. The collaboration achieved a major technology licensing agreement, securing substantial licensing revenue for the university.
Professor Yi-Chih Hsu highlighted that her patented liposomal composite drug-encapsulation technology effectively overcomes major limitations of conventional platinum-based chemotherapies, such as poor solubility and severe systemic toxicity. The platform enables drug nanonization below 50 nm, significantly improves encapsulation efficiency, and achieves tumor-targeted delivery within approximately 50 minutes, thereby enhancing drug accumulation, prolonging circulation time, and improving both efficacy and safety. With 24 patents granted globally—including in the United States, 21 EU countries, Japan, and Taiwan—the technology demonstrates strong international competitiveness and readiness for commercialization.
Hsu’s team further noted that the innovation holds promise for addressing drug resistance, supporting nanocarrier-based formulations, and enabling long-acting release systems. The platform also features a One-Pot, GMP-compliant high-yield manufacturing process, and has successfully completed two years of CMC stability validation, underscoring its robustness and industrialization potential.
Professor Yi-Chih Hsu also serves as Director of the Center for Cancer Diagnostics, Therapeutics Development, and Commercialization at Chung Yuan Christian University, where she has led a decade-long effort in advancing critical nanomedicine technologies. Her team’s work in cancer drug delivery and nanoparticle-based formulation has steadily progressed from fundamental laboratory research to preclinical verification and GMP-compliant scalable manufacturing. The program has received sustained support from major government initiatives, including the NSTC Nanotechnology Flagship Project, multiple NSTC research and technology development grants, and other national funding programs. Professor Hsu’s achievements have been widely recognized, earning several prestigious national awards such as the NSTC Future Tech Award and the National Innovation Award, and most recently, the 2025 National Innovation Award in Biopharmaceutical Advancement.
CYCU’s Office of Industry–Academia Collaboration and Patent Technology Transfer emphasized the university’s commitment to advancing frontier scientific innovations toward real-world application. By integrating faculty research strengths, government-funded programs, and industry-driven product development needs, CYCU continues to establish a robust pipeline from scientific discovery to industrial adoption.
CYCU President Ying-Ming Lee commended Professor Hsu and her team for their contributions to nanomedicine, noting that their work demonstrates the university’s strong capabilities in bridging biomedical research with clinical translation. He also expressed gratitude to the NSTC and industry partners for their support, which has enabled the technology to progress beyond the laboratory toward clinical and industrial implementation. Looking ahead, CYCU will continue to promote interdisciplinary research and technology transfer, strengthening Taiwan’s overall capacity in biomedical innovation and precision medicine.
