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COVID-19: Merah Putih vaccine development reaches 50 percent, govt claims
A national consortium tasked with developing the vaccine is aiming to start the clinical trials in January next year.
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Researchers works in a research laboratory at PT Bio Farma in Bandung, West Java on Aug. 12. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto)
T
he government claims that the development of a local COVID-19 candidate vaccine has reached 50 percent and will be ready for human clinical trials early next year.
A national consortium led by the Research and Technology Ministry is currently developing the “Merah Putih” vaccine, named after the nation’s iconic red-and-white flag.
“We aim to finish the animal testing process by the end of this year,” Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said during an online press briefing on Wednesday.
He added that the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, which had been appointed to spearhead the vaccine development, sought to hand over the finished vaccine seed to state pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma for clinical trials starting January next year.
“After the clinical trials are finished and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency [BPOM] declares it safe, PT Bio Farma will start the mass production at the end of 2021,” the minister went on to say.
Read also: Vaccines won't bring back normal life at once: Experts
Bambang said the country would need at least 540 million doses of vaccine for 270 million Indonesian citizens. Initial studies showed that each person would need at least two shots of the vaccine to be immune to the coronavirus.
The national consortium has opened opportunities for at least three private pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the vaccine in order to secure supply.
“However, they still need to obtain permits from the BPOM and prepare lines of production specifically designated for the Merah Putih vaccine,” said Bambang
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo established a national team to accelerate the development of the vaccine as well as to improve the country’s resilience in responding to the outbreak.
While Jokowi is set to oversee the team, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has been appointed to chair the team's steering committee. Meanwhile, Bambang was placed in charge of the development of a potential vaccine, with the assistance of Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.
