Amid sweeping industry transformation, where should we go? Combined vaccines lead the way in scientifically reducing the burden of disease prevention and control—Huizhong Bio’s new formulation launch event.

(Xinmu Net, reporting from Luoyang) At present, China’s poultry industry is rapidly advancing toward “large-scale production, standardization, intelligent management, and ecological sustainability.” However, persistent outbreaks of disease, unregulated use of preventive and therapeutic medications, and increasingly complex vaccination protocols remain significant challenges hindering the sector’s rapid development. How to achieve “scientific burden reduction and healthy farming” has become a pressing issue that the industry must address.

On July 6, 2017, Luoyang Huizhong Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Huizhong Biotechnology) convened in Luoyang, Henan, a forum on a new immune‑enhancement model for cost reduction and efficiency gains, themed “Scientific Load Reduction, Win‑Win Cooperation,” along with a launch event for the commercialization of its innovative flow‑based technology. The event brought together approximately 200 industry professionals, academic experts, and media representatives from across the country to present a new paradigm for poultry disease prevention and control and to explore emerging trends in the research and development of avian biologics.

Hu Wei, General Manager of Luoyang Huizhong Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

In his address, Hu Wei, General Manager of Huizhong Bio, stated that the launch of the Xinliu series of combination vaccines has marked a significant milestone in China’s poultry vaccine sector, making a substantial contribution to disease prevention and control within the industry. Looking ahead, Huizhong Bio plans to develop a portfolio of genetically engineered combination vaccines—including those targeting Newcastle disease (genotype VII), infectious bursal disease (rVP2 protein), and adenovirus‑based subunit vaccines—as well as water‑based adjuvant‑based combination vaccines specifically for broiler chickens. Its swine vaccines were officially launched for commercial sale this October.

Genetically engineered vaccines are the trend of the times.

Zhang Xuke, Chairman of Puleike Bioengineering Co., Ltd.

China’s livestock industry is currently undergoing rapid development characterized by intensification and branding. The scale of pig and poultry farming has increased significantly. Zhang Xuke, Chairman of Placor Bioengineering Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Placor), believes that environmental pressures, food safety concerns, rising labor costs, and economies of scale are the key drivers behind these changes. Large-scale farming groups, along with farming cooperatives and family farms, are poised to become the dominant models of animal husbandry in the future.

For the animal health industry, market concentration continues to rise: in 2015, there were 88 biopharmaceutical companies, with the top 10 accounting for 71% of total output value and the top five even higher at 48%; meanwhile, the chemical‑pharmaceutical sector comprised 1,720 firms, with the top 30 contributing 51% of industry output. In addition, industry restructuring and M&A activity have intensified, as financially robust players acquire weaker competitors or form strategic alliances, leading to fierce competition for resource integration. Third, vertical integration across the value chain is accelerating, with large enterprises expanding from feed into livestock farming and then into animal health—examples abound. Fourth, technological innovation has become a widely shared priority for industry development, as the number of new veterinary drug registration approvals has increased year after year.

In recent years, the joint-stock company has intensified its efforts in scientific and technological innovation, achieving remarkable results: it has obtained 31 national new veterinary drug certificates, established 53 national standards for veterinary drugs, secured more than 120 authorized invention patents, filed over 390 invention patent applications, and won 10 national, provincial, and municipal science and technology progress awards, thereby becoming one of the leading giants in the animal health industry.

Regarding Huizhong Bio’s future development strategy, Zhang Xuke stated that next-generation genetically engineered vaccines represent a key strategic priority for the company. In addition, the company is focusing on advanced immune adjuvant technologies, next-generation high-throughput rapid diagnostic kits, and the creation of an ecosystem for animal health management and the production of safe livestock products.

Tian Kegong, Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Veterinary Drugs

Poultry vaccines have now advanced to the third generation, which integrates genetic engineering and bioengineering technologies. According to Tian Kegong, Director of the National Veterinary Pharmaceutical Engineering Technology Research Center, genetic‑engineering vaccines are produced using genetic engineering methods—specifically, by employing recombinant DNA technology to insert natural or synthetically engineered genetic material into bacterial or other vector systems, enabling its full expression, followed by purification. Compared with traditional vaccines, genetic‑engineering vaccines offer advantages such as enhanced safety and broader spectrum of protection, making them a cutting‑edge biologic product with vast application potential and better suited for development into multivalent formulations.

The Newcastle disease virus genotype VII inactivated vaccine series was also developed using genetic engineering, exhibiting higher HI antibody titers and reduced post‑vaccination viral shedding. It can further be formulated as bivalent, trivalent, or tetravalent vaccines. The infectious bursal disease subunit vaccine is not a particularly challenging technology; however, the development of trivalent or tetravalent combination vaccines remains relatively uncommon. We have assembled the IBDV VP2 subunit protein into virus‑like particles to create a novel trivalent inactivated vaccine against infectious bursal disease. For adenovirus (group I, serotype 4)–based inactivated vaccines, the genetically engineered inactivated combination vaccines—Xinliu Adenovirus and Xinzhiliu Adenovirus—have already been submitted for clinical trials.

The new formulation has been launched, with genetic engineering technology ensuring efficacy.

New Stream Method IPO Launch Ceremony

Luo Guanqun, Director of Customer Marketing at Huizhong Bio Group

The white-feathered broiler industry has experienced rapid growth, with accelerated trends toward large-scale, intensive, standardized, and factory‑like operations, ushering in an era where humans manage equipment, and equipment manages the chickens. Consequently, aspects such as husbandry management, animal welfare, biosecurity, and herd immunity are becoming increasingly critical.

Newcastle disease (ND), H9N2 subtype avian influenza, and infectious bursal disease (IBD) are three major poultry diseases that pose significant threats to the poultry industry in China and worldwide. According to Luo Guanqun, Director of Customer Marketing at Huizhong Biological Group, Huizhong has developed a novel trivalent inactivated vaccine based on genetic engineering subunit technology. This vaccine employs targeted strain selection and leverages genetic engineering to express the VP2 protein, which assembles into virus-like particles capable of eliciting both cellular and humoral immune responses. Additionally, it incorporates a composite adjuvant derived from research成果 under China’s “863” Program, enabling simultaneous protection against all three diseases with a single dose. This approach aligns with the “scientific burden reduction” principle of “low dosage, infrequent administration, and high protection.” Extensive field trials involving diverse poultry breeds—including white‑feathered broilers, yellow‑feathered broilers, 817 crossbred meat chickens, laying hens, and breeding stock—have demonstrated that Huizhong’s new trivalent inactivated vaccine, administered at 0.15 mL per bird during mass immunization at the hatchery, delivers excellent protective efficacy, minimal immune stress, and low vaccination costs, establishing itself as a leading choice for day‑old chick immunization.

Song Guoliang, Chief Engineer of Huizhong Bio

“The quality of a vaccine is determined by its design and manufacturing processes, which are underpinned by the company’s state-of-the-art production equipment, cutting-edge process capabilities, and robust GMP compliance,” explained Song Guoliang, Chief Engineer at Huizhong Bio. “From the very outset of its factory construction in 2013, Huizhong Bio invested heavily in advanced, automated production machinery, providing a strong foundation for enhancing manufacturing efficiency and ensuring product quality—placing it among the industry’s leaders.”

The company’s products are designed to be safe, efficient, and of controllable quality. This commitment has been consistently upheld throughout both research and development and manufacturing. Our GMP‑compliant production facilities meet the same standards as those used for human pharmaceuticals, and production is carried out on fully automated, imported equipment. As a result, Huizhong Bio’s products feature cutting‑edge processes, a high degree of automation, novel viral strains, and consistently stable, uniform quality—making them trustworthy and reliable.

Veterinary Officer, Beijing Huadu Yukou Co., Ltd., Liu Changqing

At present, the complexity of domestic diseases has made biosecurity protocols at farms and production facilities increasingly intricate. Clinicians have been inclined to “add” rather than “subtract,” resulting in a growing number and variety of vaccinations for poultry, which in turn places an ever‑greater burden on both flocks and vaccination personnel. Surveys reveal that, in most farming operations, disease prevention and control efforts exhibit two distinct trends: either excessive over‑vaccination or insufficient coverage.

In response to this situation, Liu Changqing, a veterinary officer at Beijing Huadu Yukou Co., Ltd., drew on the “scientific load‑reduction” theory of Academician Liu Xiufan of Yangzhou University and, in light of Yukou Company’s specific circumstances, introduced the “Five Reductions, Two No‑Omissions” approach to scientific load reduction. Based on poultry physiology, the patterns of disease onset and progression, and the dynamics of antibody levels, they developed a scientifically sound prevention and control plan that streamlines immunization protocols. This not only mitigates immune stress in chickens and reduces the intensity of vaccination procedures but also slashes immunization costs by more than 50%. The “Scientific Load Reduction 12345” framework centers on “one core, two principles, three patterns, four pillars, and five measures,” aiming to enhance flock health through targeted load reduction.

Current Trends in Poultry Disease Epidemiology and Control Strategies

Wu Yanguo, Director of the China Animal Health and Epidemiology Monitoring Center

Avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and infectious bronchitis are the three major diseases currently under control in the poultry industry. In addition, bacterial infections and mycotoxins also constitute significant causes of illness in chicken flocks. Wu Yanguo, Director of the China Animal Health and Epidemiology Monitoring Center, provided a detailed overview of the current epidemiological trends of avian influenza and the corresponding prevention and control strategies.

This year, the epidemic has shown a tendency to persist longer than usual. Typically, bronchial blockages would resolve by early June, but this year they have continued to occur up to the present. Moreover, the bronchial obstructions this season are primarily characterized by small‑bronchiolar occlusion, accompanied by severe pulmonary edema, necrosis, and enteritis. Virus isolation results indicate that the predominant pathogen is H9 subtype avian influenza, with infectious bronchitis and Newcastle disease occurring secondarily. In one broiler production group in Shandong, virus isolation from bronchial blockage samples revealed that H9 accounted for 57.70%, IB for 46.20%, and ND for 30.80%. These findings suggest that the bronchial obstructions observed in broilers this year are mainly attributable to H9 subtype avian influenza. Researcher Wu discussed the etiological factors and preventive measures for H9 avian influenza, as well as general strategies for controlling other avian influenza strains. He emphasized that effective management—particularly maintaining appropriate temperature and ventilation in poultry houses—and implementing targeted vaccination using strains closely matching the circulating viruses are key to addressing the problem.

Professor Wei Ping, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University

Under the immunological pressure imposed by the intensive, large-scale use of live bursal disease virus vaccines, both the virulence and antigenicity of the virus have undergone mutations, leading to the emergence of highly virulent strains. Studies indicate that viral genetic recombination and mutations in genes associated with virulence are among the primary factors contributing to the current complexity of IBD outbreaks. Infection with these hyper‑virulent strains results in a broader age range of susceptible hosts, increased morbidity and mortality, subtle clinical signs, and severe immune suppression and vaccine failure.

Professor Wei Ping of the College of Animal Science and Technology at Guangxi University believes that a comprehensive control strategy combining effective biosecurity measures with vaccination is currently the most effective approach to managing infectious bursal disease. It is essential to enhance disinfection and sanitation of poultry houses, improve management practices for flocks, and implement scientifically sound immunization protocols. Specifically, prior to vaccination, it is crucial to assess maternal antibody levels in chicks; vaccines with moderate to high virulence should be used with caution, as they may cause damage to the bursa of Fabricius. Inactivated vaccines administered to breeder chickens have demonstrated good efficacy, and a booster dose of inactivated vaccine is recommended after the peak laying period, thereby providing robust support for chicks to acquire high levels of maternal antibodies.

To express gratitude to both new and longstanding customers, Huizhong Bio hosted a lavish appreciation dinner and a self‑produced cultural performance at the Yaxiang Jinling Hotel, fostering lively interaction between the Huizhong Bio team and the attendees. The “Science Reduces Burden, Collaboration Creates Win‑Win” launch event—marking the introduction of Huizhong Bio’s new immune‑modulation model for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement, along with its innovative assay method—concluded successfully.