We are optimistic that this effort would yield good results next year through clinical trials that we expect to take place early next year as well as large-scale production that we are hopeful of achieving once the phase 1-3 clinical trials are complJakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Research and Technology (Menristek)/Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro is upbeat about the clinical trial of the Red and White vaccine commencing in early 2021.
"We are optimistic that this effort would yield good results next year through clinical trials that we expect to take place early next year as well as large-scale production that we are hopeful of achieving once the phase 1-3 clinical trials are completed," Bambang remarked during a virtual seminar in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister made the statement during the seminar “Thee Kian Wie Lecture Series V” themed, “Inclusive and Sustainable Development Policy: Post-Pandemic Recovery Strategies” organized by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
Minister Bambang noted that currently, development of the Red and White vaccine had reached some 40 percent of the entire process.
"The team at Eijkman is producing antigens, its own vaccine seed candidates that will later be tested on mammalian cells that are still on a lab scale. Thereafter, the animal or mammal testing is conducted before being submitted to Bio Farma for production and then clinical trials for humans," Minister Bambang remarked.
To expedite the acquisition of vaccines, the Indonesian government has collaborated with foreign parties and is developing homemade vaccines.
Minister Bambang believes that development of the Red and White vaccine also holds importance in the context of the country being self-reliant in vaccine production.
"We also have to maintain self-reliance in the area of vaccine development itself, thereby translating to the fact that Indonesia, with a population of 260 million-270 million, must not solely depend on vaccines that are ready abroad. We must have the ability to not only produce vaccines but also to conduct research and development of vaccine seeds, and this has been undertaken by the Eijkman Institute, with the Red and White vaccine," Menristek Bambang remarked.
Research and development for the Red and White vaccine is led by the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in collaboration with several parties and institutions, including PT Bio Farma.
"In this effort, of course, the Eijkman Institute cooperates with several parties, universities, and also regulators," he noted.
The Red and White vaccine was developed with a recombinant protein platform and using the SARS-CoV-2 virus isolate that causes COVID-19 to spread in Indonesia.
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Translator: Martha H, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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