Along with feed quality, poultry health is also one among the many important factors that determine efficient poultry production. Using poultry vaccines can thus help protect flocks from deadly, contagious poultry diseases such as fowl pox, newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis. Abdul Muhaimin, Head of Corporate Marketing Division, Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals (MVP) provides an insight into the latest vaccine developed by the company, their recovery from the scars that the Covid-19 pandemic had left on their business as well as the current post-pandemic market trends.
Far Eastern Agriculture (FEAG): Can you tell us a bit about your company?
Dr. Abdul Muhaimin (AM): Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals (MVP) is a veterinary vaccine manufacturer based in Malaysia and the only one in Malaysia. We have been operating for more than 30 years. Currently, we have 13 products of live attenuated and inactivated vaccines, mostly for poultry. We have been exporting to many countries in ASEAN, Middle East and some countries in Asia.
FEAG: How did Covid-19 impact your business and what are the current market trends since the pandemic?
AM: MVP was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdown where we could not obtain the source of the raw materials due to unavailability of cargo flights. We were also unable to ship to certain countries due to the same reason. However, MVP was listed under essential services and could operate with condition during the lockdown. Now, MVP is slowly recovering the business similar to our customers and the order pattern for our vaccine products is almost back to the way it was before the pandemic.
FEAG: What are the latest products you have developed?
AM: Our latest product is MyHATCH UPM93, a live attenuated vaccine for Gumboro disease in poultry. It is an intermediate-plus vaccine from the local strain of a very virulent virus of the Malaysian farms.
FEAG: How is your product unique and sustainable?
AM: This novel vaccine can be given to day-old chicks (DOC) and has the ability to penetrate maternally derived antibodies in chicks. Moreover, the vaccine does not have an antibody complex mechanism. Hence, the nature of the virus strain would not be affected much by the maternally derived antibodies. One dose would be sufficient to provide protection in short rearing chickens such as broilers.
FEAG: What is the level of competition that you receive and from which region does your product receive maximum sales?
AM: Our biggest customers for this product are Vietnam and Pakistan besides our local farm in Malaysia. Due to an overwhelming response and data from the countries using the product, we have now expanded the product to other countries and are currently in the process of registration.
FEAG: Do you have any plans of expanding your business?
AM: MVP plans to upgrade its facilities to cater to the huge demands/orders from all its export countries. Furthermore, we will be having new facilities for inactivated vaccine plants and our marketing team is doing its best to acquire new export markets.
