Industrial Visit

On 5^th January 2011, we have an industrial visit to Stellagen SDN BHD. Stellagen is a biotechnology  company with the primary objective of identifying, developing and commercializing technologies related to animal health, consumer health, microbiology and biochemical industries. The company was established at 2003 and the founder is Tan Sri Dr. Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim which is now holds the position as Chairman of the Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia and Chairman of the UPM Board of Directors. From the year of it establishment at 2003 Stellagen have corporate with University Putra Malaysia (UPM) in doing research of the production of probiotic for poultry. Started with research and development at lab scale, finally at 2008, they build their own factory for the production of probiotic for chicken in large scale.

            Recently the European Union (EU) and World Health Organization (WHO) are more cautious on the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in animal feeds. This is because of growing concern that AGP may leave antibiotic residue in animal products, promote the development of harmful antibiotic-resistance bacteria and may cause human disease become resistance to bacteria. Because of this problem, Stellagen raise an idea on the use of probiotic as alternative for antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in chicken. Probiotic is refer to friendly bacteria that can improve a chicken’s intestinal bacteria balance by restore the presence of beneficial bacteria and thus help the digestion system of chicken.

            Now, Stellagen has comeout with their own product which is called StellarLac ^TM which is a probiotic product for chicken. It contains multi-strain probiotic bacteria which are Brevis, Salivarius, Reuteri, and Gallinarum that isolated from intestine of healthy chicken. The benefit of using probiotic over AGP for broilers are it increase growth performance, improves feed efficiency and immune system, reduce body fat and cholesterol, reduce pathogenic bacteria in intestine and also lowering mortality rate. While benefit for layers is it increase egg production, produce heavier egg weight, improves egg size, reduce cholesterol in egg yolk, improves feed efficiency and improves immune system. In short, StellarLac ^TM serves as an effective natural substitute for AGPs and leading to the development of safe, healthier and premium-value chickens.

            Another company visited by the other best participant is InnBio Venture. Compare to Stellagen SDN BHD that produce product for animals, InnoBio venture is a company that provides biopharmaceutical manufacturing services, and thus they were provided with clean room. InnoBio venture has a capacity to produce 1000 liters of drugs and built to confirm to US FDA, EMEA and PIC/S regulations. Other than that, InnoBio has do research and services on cell line development, yield improvement, cell banking, scaling-up, antibody development and also analytics. Compared to Stellagen that is in its early phase of developing their company and product, InnoBio venture are more established and well known Biotechnology Company in Malaysia. However, Stellagen have comeout with their own business product while InnoBio is more focus on the services on production of pharmaceutical.

            Now Stellagen is the only supplier of probiotic for poultry in Malaysia, in my opinion with their experience and technology, in the future Stellagen will be a successful leading company that supplies probiotic in Malaysia and internationally.  Stellagen will have wide market demands as poultry business is a worldwide and continuing business. Nowadays, the EU, WHO, United States, Japan and some developed country already started to ban the use of AGP in poultry. In addition, people today are more alert and educate about the impact of AGP and the benefit of using probiotic in poultry, thus they might be the soon-to-be customer in the future. At this moment, Stellagen already made joint venture and promote their product to foreign company form India, Iran and China, so in the future they would be able to penetrate the international market.

            From this industrial visit, I feel proud that a Malaysian company likes Stellagen SDN BHD able to produce an innovative idea and comeout with their own product of StellarLac^TM. StellarLac ^TM is really significant invention to help and improve the poultry industry as well as very important for human health. Starting with only five members of company, they already receive four award and recognition which are gold award at Biotechnology Asia 2005 exhibition; gold medal and best biotechnology award at 14^th International Invention, Innovation, Industrial Design and Technology Exhibition 2003; and also gold medal from Universiti Putra Malaysia Invention and Research Exhibition 2003. At the beginning, there are many obstacles in their business and currently they have only 2% of market share. However for a new starting company, it is a good enough and Insha’Allah with their passion, hard work and experience they will become a successful and well established biotechnology company in Malaysia.GOOD LUCK STELLA!=)