HOMEGROWN VACCINE TRANSFORMS MALAYSIA'S POULTRY INDUSTRY

In the early  1990s, Malaysia’s poultry farming industry was plunged into crisis following a sudden spike in livestock deaths, threatening market stability and national food security. By then, poultry was no longer merely an agricultural subsector; it had become a central pillar of the country’s protein supply.

The outbreak was caused by Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), or Gumboro, first reported in Delaware, United States, in 1957 before spreading across Europe in the 1980s. Affecting young chickens aged three to six weeks, the disease is highly contagious, with mortality rates approaching 100 per cent, a scenario capable of crippling an entire nation’s poultry production chain.

Surviving birds often suffer permanent immune system damage, leaving them weak and unresponsive to other vaccines, and highly susceptible to secondary infections, ultimately driving up farmers’ operating costs.

THE BIRTH OF A LOCAL VACCINE

Malaysia’s first detected IBD case in 1991, however, brought with it an unexpected silver lining: the emergence of a local veterinary pathology expert.

Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Hair Bejo, who had just completed his PhD in veterinary pathology at University of Liverpool, became the first researcher to identify and report IBD cases in Malaysia.

Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Hair Bejo, who at that time had just completed his doctorate in veterinary pathology at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, became the first researcher to detect and report a case of IBD in this country.

Now serving at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), he was tasked with managing the outbreak, a responsibility that eventually led to systematic research and development of a homegrown vaccine to combat Gumboro.

 “At the time, we were facing an extremely virulent strain. Existing vaccines were no longer sufficient to protect chickens, especially on large-scale commercial farms,” he recalled in a recent interview with Bernama.

Vaccine development required in-depth study of the virus itself. In 1993, Mohd Hair and his team successfully isolated an IBD virus strain - known as the UPM93 isolate - from actual samples collected at UPM poultry farms.

“We had to take samples from local farms because viral strain plays a major role in vaccine effectiveness. If the strain does not match, protection will not be optimal,” he explained.

Mohd Hair said the development of the local vaccine is also closely linked to efforts to address the issue of antibiotic resistance or AMR.

Yet isolating UPM93 was only the starting point. Mohd Hair and his team spent nearly another 13 years before the MyVac UPM93 IBD vaccine was finally developed and commercialised in 2005.

That breakthrough later paved the way for a second vaccine, MyHatch UPM93, which took six years from 2009 and entered the market in 2015.

DISTINCT ADVANTAGES

Mohd Hair said both locally produced vaccines offer clear advantages over existing products.

“Among the strengths of MyHatch (and MyVac) is that they use live attenuated viruses, which stimulate immunity almost similar to natural infection. Moreover, the virus strain used is the same local strain found on farms, making these vaccines more targeted and more effective than those based on foreign or mismatched strains,” he said.

UPM is collaborating with an industry partner, Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd (MVP), the country's leading veterinary vaccine manufacturer. All pix credit to MVP.

Usage is also tailored rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach: MyVac is designed for small and medium-sized farms, while MyHatch caters to large-scale operations with integrated and automated systems.

“Unlike MyVac, which is administered through drinking water to chickens aged 10 to 14 days, MyHatch UPM93 is delivered via automated injection at hatcheries, immediately after chicks emerge from their eggs.

“This ensures every chick receives a precise and uniform dose. Protection begins from day one of life,” he explained.

Antibodies develop within five to seven days, a critical window when chicks are most vulnerable to infection.

Both vaccines are also in the process of entering overseas markets, including Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia, and are currently undergoing regulatory registration in those countries.

ANTIBIOTICS AND PUBLIC HEALTH

The development of local vaccines is closely linked to the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). When chickens’ immune systems are compromised, farmers often rely on antibiotics to treat secondary infections, increasing the risk of AMR, where antibiotics become ineffective.

With effective vaccination, the need for antibiotics is reduced, supporting both national and global efforts to curb AMR.

In the early 1990s, the country's poultry farming industry faced a crisis when there was a sudden increase in livestock deaths, which threatened market stability and food security.

“This is not only good for farms, but also for public health,” Mohd Hair said, stressing the importance of the ‘One Health’ approach championed by the World Health Organisation, which connects animal, human and environmental health.

He added that his research team is now testing advanced in-ovo vaccination technology, where vaccines are injected directly into 18-day-old chicken embryos. This enables disease protection to begin as soon as chicks hatch, and may lead to new products in the future.

Such efforts are vital, he said, as viruses continually mutate and produce new strains.

“We identified the latest strain in 2019,, known as the Novel IBD virus (n VarIBDV), and we are currently in the research and development phase for a suitable candidate virus for vaccine production,” he said, adding that the success of the two vaccines demonstrates how local innovation can deliver major impact when backed by close university–industry collaboration.

“Above all, we must strengthen confidence and trust in local researchers to safeguard the nation’s food chain and public well-being.”

MVP AND GMP-STANDARD PRODUCTION

To ensure these high-quality vaccines reach the market, UPM works with industry partner Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd (MVP), the country’s leading veterinary vaccine manufacturer.

MVP Executive Director Rashidah Ibrahim said MyHatch UPM93 is produced in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-certified facilities that comply with international standards, including those set by the World Organisation for Animal Health and ASEAN GMP.

The effects of effective vaccination are clearly visible on the farm when chickens are healthier, grow well and reach market weight within the targeted period.

“GMP compliance ensures every vaccine batch is produced consistently, safely and to the highest quality. Vaccines are not products where quality can be compromised,” she said.

Currently, MVP produces about 100 million doses annually; enough to protect roughly 100 million chickens. For perspective, latest official figures from Department of Statistics Malaysia show Malaysia’s chicken population rose to around 327.3 million in 2024.

“In this context, a capacity of 100 million doses a year means MyHatch UPM93 can protect a substantial portion of chickens raised annually. Malaysia is also among the world’s highest poultry consumers, with average per capita consumption of about 50 kilogrammes of chicken meat and 370 eggs per year,” Rashidah added.

The impact of effective vaccination is evident on farms: healthier chickens, better growth rates and timely achievement of market weight.

“When feed conversion ratios improve and mortality rates fall, farm output becomes more stable. With diseases under control, chicken supply remains sufficient, prices are more manageable, and consumers gain access to affordable protein,” she said.

To strengthen on-farm implementation, MVP also provides continuous technical support through seminars, roadshows and field advisory services.

“As a result, IBD outbreaks are now reported less frequently. But that does not mean the disease has disappeared; it still exists and can threaten national food security. The virus can persist in farm environments, which is why vaccination must be carried out in every production cycle,” she stressed.

DVS’ ROLE IN DEVELOPING LOCAL VACCINES

As the key institution supporting vaccine development in Malaysia, the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia (DVS), through its Veterinary Research Institute Ipoh (VRI), continues to strengthen collaboration between university researchers and industry partners.

In a statement to Bernama, DVS said it provides guidelines for veterinary vaccine registration and facilitates approval processes for locally developed vaccines.

It also plays a crucial role by sharing information, offering technical training when required, and providing facilities for vaccine product safety testing.

Several collaborations with MVP have already been successfully implemented, including the production of duck Pasteurella and Newcastle Disease (ND) vaccines, with DVS supplying vaccine seed material and manufacturing facilities for industry use.

“These efforts not only accelerate local vaccine innovation but also enhance national preparedness against emerging diseases, in line with climate change challenges and global food security concerns,” it said.

Additionally, under the Vaccine Development Project of the 12th Malaysia Plan, which came to a close last year, VRI conducted research to improve existing livestock vaccines with an allocation of RM500,000.

Animal vaccine research has proven instrumental in safeguarding livestock health and ensuring national food security across sectors including poultry, goats and sheep.

“When all these initiatives are implemented in a structured and coordinated manner with industry players, the production of vaccines targeting local virus strains can be continuously enhanced. This will ultimately enable more strategic stock planning, improve outbreak preparedness, and reduce reliance on imported meat,” it added.