"The government has budgeted for the provision of 30-40 million doses of vaccines at PT Bio Farma, and the government has provided funding of Rp5 trillion this year. Next year, perhaps Rp40 trillion to Rp50 trillion can be readied," he stated during an online working meeting and national consultation of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) 2020 online, Wednesday.
Currently, Bio Farma and Sinovac Biotech are conducting a phase 3 clinical trial involving 1,600 volunteers.
The vaccine is targeted for production in October, with a capacity of 10 million doses monthly and by year-end, 40 million doses will be produced. The production capacity for vaccine development in collaboration with China is expected to reach 120 million doses annually.
Bio Farma has also collaborated with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) to transfer the vaccine formulation technology. Bio Farma produces the COVID-19 vaccine developed by CEPI.
Apart from Bio Farma, PT Kalbe Farma is also working with the Genexine Consortium from South Korea for developing the COVID-19 vaccine. Collaboration for the phase 3 clinical trial will be conducted during the September 2020-March 2021 period, with a production capacity targeted at up to 50 million doses annually. The conditional approval by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) is likely to come out in August 2021.
Meanwhile, PT BHCT Biotechnology Indonesia is also working with China Sinopharm International Corporation (Wuhan Institute of Bilogical Products) to conduct phase 1 and 2 clinical trials at COVID-19 referral hospitals. Clinical trials commenced last April in China.
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Translator: Ade Irma J, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
