Malaysia's Sunzen Biotech set to test vaccine on pigs

Malaysia's animal life sciences specialist Sunzen Biotech Bhd has been engaged by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) to test a vaccine against the AH1N1 flu virus.

Sunzen executive director Kok Poe Chu said the company will distribute Pfizer Animal Health's vaccine, Flusure, in Malaysia after carrying out trials at local pig farms to be decided by the department.

Kok said the trials were the outcome of a proposal it submitted last month to the department for a national vaccination programme for all pigs to prevent the spread of the virus.

Sunzen makes and markets more than 100 types of animal health products, such as feed additives, nutritional feed supplements, veterinary pharmaceuticals and animal vaccines.

The company sells its feed additives to 10 countries, including Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, India, Iran and Malaysia, and is now eyeing other markets in Asia-Pacific.