The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the governmental bureau that supports the business development of Italian companies abroad and attracting foreign investment in Italy, will officially attend Bio-Asia 2026, with a dedicated Italian Pavilion.

This presence supports a powerhouse of Italian trade: pharmaceutical exports. Reaching 69.2 bln Euro in 2025, pharmaceuticals are Italy's second-largest manufacturing export sector behind mechanics. The sector led manufacturing growth in 2025 with a 28.5% increase, capping off a phenomenal 248% export surge over the last decade-far outpacing the EU average of 148%.

Globally, Italy ranks sixth in total pharmaceutical exports with a 7.7% share (up from 4% in 2015) and climbs to second place for packaged drugs with a 10% share, trailing only Germany at 13%. Driven by drugs and vaccines, the sector generated 29% of Italy's total manufacturing trade surplus in 2025. This self-reliance is clear: Italy's foreign dependency index (normalized external balance) stands at just 4%, compared to a sharp 45% average across the EU27.

Within the 2025 sector exports, basic pharmaceutical products accounted for 3,100 million Euro (4.5%), while medicines and other preparations made up the remaining 66,143 million Euro (95.5%). To fuel this growth, Italian R&D investments have reached 2.5 billion Euro.

In 2025, total Italy-Taiwan trade hit 5.98 bln USD, heavily driven by $4.00B in Taiwanese imports from Italy, reflecting a solid 15.35% annual growth in Italian exports. Italy demonstrates strong competitiveness in the healthcare sectors: with $601,793,295 in exports in the pharmaceutical sector and commanding a 74.39% market share of the medical devices trade with $35,318,892 in exports. Consequently, life sciences products alone drive Italy's export economy to Taiwan, accounting for roughly 65.5% of all Italian shipments to the island.

The Italian Pavilion at Bio-Asia Taiwan 2026 will showcase this momentum through two key testimonials: a premier biotech cluster and an innovative company. Read below to learn more about them and prepare to meet them in person!

Menarini

The Menarini Group is a leading international pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, founded in 1886 and headquartered in the historic city of Florence, Italy. With a long and rich heritage, the company has grown into a global healthcare powerhouse, operating directly in numerous countries worldwide. Backed by a massive, dedicated workforce, Menarini anchors its position among the elite of European pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Menarini’s extensive therapeutic portfolio addresses some of the most critical and widespread medical conditions today. Its top-tier pharmaceutical products are market leaders in key treatment areas, including cardiometabolic diseases, oncology, gastroenterology, diabetology, and pneumology, alongside a robust selection of highly trusted anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatments. By continuously scaling up its international reach, the group ensures that lifesaving treatments and advanced diagnostic tools are accessible to millions of patients across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

At the core of Menarini’s enduring success is its unwavering commitment to research and development (R&D) and high-quality manufacturing activities. The company invests heavily in proprietary scientific innovation, utilizing state-of-the-art production facilities that meet the strictest international regulatory requirements. Through this patient-centric approach, Menarini continuously contributes to improving healthcare outcomes and patients' health worldwide, maintaining the highest quality standards at every stage of the pharmaceutical lifecycle.