Former Takeda Vaccines Executive Dr. Theodore F. Tsai Invited to Join AcadeMab Biomedical’s Scientific Advisory Board
AcadeMab Biomedical Inc. today announced the appointment of Dr. Theodore F. Tsai (MD, MPH, FIDSA), former Vice President at Takeda Vaccines, as a member of its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Tsai will advise the company on strategic R&D directions and clinical development for its dengue nucleic acid vaccine program, aiming to accelerate product development and alleviate the impact of dengue fever in Taiwan and beyond.
Mr. Kao Chien-Yuan, Vice President of AcadeMab Biomedical, remarked that Dr. Tsai is an internationally renowned expert in infectious diseases and epidemiology with decades of experience in vaccine development and public health. At Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG, Dr. Tsai played a key role in the clinical development and regulatory approval of Takeda’s dengue vaccine in the European Union. His joining AcadeMab greatly enhances the company’s strategic planning and global regulatory capabilities in the vaccine field.
During his meeting with the AcadeMab R&D team, Dr. Tsai noted that the currently available Takeda dengue vaccine is a live-attenuated product indicated for children aged 6 to 16 years and does not yet cover all age groups. He emphasized that AcadeMab’s nucleic acid vaccine approach — which is non-live, flexible to strain updates, and potentially suitable for multiple administrations — shows great promise as the next generation of dengue vaccines. Dr. Tsai expressed strong interest in the program and will provide ongoing scientific and regulatory guidance.
Vice President Kao added that AcadeMab is currently the only company in Taiwan actively developing a dengue nucleic acid vaccine. The company plans to submit an IND application to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) by the end of 2026, while pursuing strategic collaborations with local nucleic acid encapsulation manufacturers to achieve the first GMP production of a nucleic acid vaccine in Taiwan. This initiative will demonstrate Taiwan’s advancing capabilities in nucleic acid drug development to the global biotech community.
About Dr. Theodore F. Tsai
• Holds MD and MPH degrees from Harvard University and is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA).
• Former Vice President of Immunization Science & Policy and Vaccines Medical Affairs at Takeda Vaccines (Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG).
• Over 50 years of experience in vaccine science, epidemiology, and public health.
• Served as expert advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) on infectious disease control and vaccine policy.
• Contributed significantly to the clinical development and European Union licensure of Takeda’s dengue vaccine.
AcadeMab has initiated a phase I clinical trial at multiple clinical centers, including National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, and National Cheng Kung University Hospital.
The first subject of this trail has enrolled, and a total of 30 subjects are expected to participate in this clinical trial.
