"With Sinovac from China, we have received a vaccine for a clinical trial that was commenced, and we expect to receive the results by the end of 2020," he remarked during the Indef Mid-Year Study held online in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The vaccine was received by the Bio Farma Bandung Team and its clinical trial will begin immediately under the direct leadership of Prof. Dr. Kusnadi from Padjadjaran University (Unpad). December 2020 is targeted for the fastest completion of the clinical trial.
Wirjoatmodjo expounded that the government, through state-owned enterprises, is actively conducting international cooperation in pursuit of the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to Sinovac, Bio Farma is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
"Several other vaccine manufacturers are also being approached to simultaneously gauge the potential for vaccine discovery from various parts of the world," Wirjoatmodjo stated.
President Director of Bio Farma Honesti Basyir had earlier noted that the phase-3 clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine was scheduled to run for six months from August 2020, so it was targeted for completion in January 2021.
If the phase-3 clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine were to run smoothly, Bio Farma would produce it in the first quarter of 2021. The SOE has readied its production facilities, with a maximum capacity to produce 250 million doses.
Development of the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the five target programs of Bio Farma in dealing with the spread of the COV2 SARS virus that causes COVID-19. The others are the production of Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Convalescent Plasma Therapy, BSL 3 Mobile Laboratory BSL 3, and Viral Transport Media (VTM) Manufacturing.
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Translator: Ade Irma, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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