Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Hangzhou provides platform for a major veterinary biotechnology collaboration focused on FMD vaccines, poultry vaccines and broader animal health biologics
Hangzhou, China: In a significant development for Pakistan’s animal health and veterinary biotechnology sector, Ziest Therapeutics has formalised a Technology Transfer, Manufacturing and Joint R&D Agreement with Shanghai Shenlion / Shanghai Shen Lian Biomedical Corporation, a leading Chinese veterinary biologics company.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The agreement was formalised at the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference held in Hangzhou, China, on May 24, 2026, during the official visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to China. The conference was part of Pakistan’s wider push to expand trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, science and technology collaboration with China. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier stated that the Prime Minister would begin his visit in Hangzhou and chair the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference focusing on IT and telecom, battery energy storage systems and agriculture.
According to company statements, the agreement between Ziest Therapeutics and Shanghai Shenlion will support Pakistan’s move toward local production of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines, chicken vaccines and a wider range of veterinary biologics. Ziest Therapeutics stated that joint R&D work is already underway and described the collaboration as a milestone for building Pakistan’s biotechnology and vaccine manufacturing capacity.
The agreement was also highlighted by DayZee Private Limited, which described Ziest Therapeutics as its sister company. DayZee said the partnership carries direct operational relevance for Pakistan’s livestock sector, particularly because DayZee is engaged in advanced livestock management, elite genetics, embryo transfer and IVF programmes across large-scale farm operations.
A strategic agreement within Pakistan-China economic cooperation
The Hangzhou conference was not a routine business event. It was held during a high-level official visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China from May 23 to 26, 2026, at a time when both countries were marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit was aimed at reviewing cooperation in political, economic and strategic domains, with particular focus on CPEC, trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, information technology, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges.
Reuters reported that Pakistani and Chinese companies signed cooperation agreements worth $1.22 billion at the Pakistan-China Business Conference in Hangzhou, which was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Zhejiang Governor Liu Jie. This figure refers to the broader conference agreements and should not be attributed specifically to the Ziest-Shanghai Shenlion agreement unless an official value is separately disclosed.
For Pakistan’s livestock and poultry sectors, the Ziest-Shanghai Shenlion collaboration is important because it links technology transfer, local manufacturing and joint scientific research with one of the country’s most pressing animal disease challenges: FMD.
Why FMD vaccine manufacturing matters for Pakistan
Foot-and-Mouth Disease is one of the most economically damaging livestock diseases in the world. The World Organisation for Animal Health describes FMD as a severe and highly contagious viral disease of livestock with significant economic impact. It affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals, while also disrupting regional and international trade in animals and animal products.
For Pakistan, where livestock contributes directly to rural livelihoods, milk production, meat value chains, farm income and export potential, reliable vaccine availability is not only a veterinary issue. It is an economic, food security and trade competitiveness issue.
Local production of high-quality FMD vaccines can help Pakistan reduce dependence on imported vaccines, improve disease preparedness, support vaccination planning and create a stronger foundation for livestock productivity. However, the real impact will depend on regulatory approvals, vaccine quality control, cold chain management, field efficacy, strain relevance and coordination between industry, regulators, veterinarians and farmers.
Company background: Ziest Therapeutics
Ziest Therapeutics is a Pakistan-based biotechnology research company focused on next-generation vaccine development for livestock. The company describes its mission as protecting global livestock through modern science. Its work includes recombinant protein and virus-like particle based vaccines, beginning with Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
The company states that it is working on DIVA-compliant vaccines, which are designed to help differentiate infected animals from vaccinated animals. Such technology can be important for surveillance, disease control and trade-sensitive livestock systems.
Through the new agreement with Shanghai Shenlion, Ziest Therapeutics is positioning itself within Pakistan’s emerging veterinary biotechnology space, where local scientific capacity, manufacturing scale-up and international technology partnerships are increasingly important.
Company background: Shanghai Shenlion / Shanghai Shen Lian Biomedical Corporation
Shanghai Shen Lian Biomedical Corporation, also known as Shenlian Biomedical, is a China-based high-tech veterinary biologics company. According to its official website, the company was established in June 2001 and specialises in the research, development, production and sale of veterinary biological products. It was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market in October 2019 under stock code 688098.
The company’s main business covers veterinary preventive biological products and veterinary diagnostic products. Its official profile states that it has two GMP production facilities in Shanghai and Lanzhou and is a designated enterprise for Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Shanghai Shen Lian’s product portfolio includes swine vaccines, ruminant vaccines, diagnostic kits and pet biological products. Its listed products include FMD vaccines and FMD diagnostic reagents, which gives the company direct technical relevance to the Pakistan-focused agreement with Ziest Therapeutics.
Company background: DayZee Private Limited
DayZee Private Limited is a Pakistan-based farming and livestock enterprise headquartered in Bahawalpur, Punjab. Its profile states that the company is cultivating 4,200 acres of barren land and introducing elite US genetics into livestock. It also describes its work in bovine IVF, embryo production and genetic progress aimed at improving Pakistan’s dairy and beef productivity.
DayZee’s connection to this agreement is strategic rather than purely ceremonial. As a company working in advanced livestock genetics and large-scale farm operations, its productivity model depends on disease prevention, herd health and reliable access to quality vaccines. In its public statement, DayZee described Ziest Therapeutics as its sister company and said locally manufactured veterinary vaccines are central to the health and productivity of Pakistan’s livestock sector.
Scientific and economic significance
This agreement brings together three important elements:
First, Chinese veterinary biologics experience, represented by Shanghai Shenlion’s FMD vaccine and diagnostic background.
Second, Pakistan-based biotechnology development, represented by Ziest Therapeutics and its vaccine R&D focus.
Third, livestock-sector application, represented by DayZee’s work in elite genetics, embryo transfer, IVF and advanced farm operations.
If implemented successfully, the partnership can help Pakistan build local capacity in veterinary vaccine production, reduce vulnerability to supply disruptions, strengthen disease control and support the long-term competitiveness of the livestock and poultry sectors.
The most important point is that this is not just a commercial announcement. It is a technology and capacity-building development. For Pakistan, local manufacturing of veterinary biologics can support farmers, veterinarians, livestock companies, poultry producers and national disease control programmes.