Activists hope to thwart IPO bid

Drug firm that makes traditional medicine with bear bile would use funds to keep more animals

FUZHOU - A pharmaceutical company in Fujian province that makes medicines from bear bile has again been targeted by animal rights activists as it makes a second attempt to become publicly listed.

Guizhentang Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2000, extracts bile from captive bears to make traditional Chinese medicines. The company keeps 470 bears and hopes to increase the number to 1,200, according to its website.