The innovation was motivated by the need for increasing vigilance for tackling COVID-19 through vaccinations, head of PSSP-LPPM at IPB (Bogor Agricultural University), Huda S Darusman, said in a written statement issued in Bogor, West Java on Tuesday.
"Vaccination is believed to reduce and control the spread of COVID-19. Hence, the evaluation of vaccinations is absolutely necessary, so the certainty of protection is guaranteed," he explained.
According to Darusman, an evaluation of vaccinations can be done through quality and quantity examinations on the antibodies produced. However, tests for COVID-19 antibodies currently depend on imported products that are relatively expensive, he said.
"It requires the nation's independence in developing technology to detect and evaluate COVID-19 antibodies that are practical, great in quality, precise, and economical," he added.
Based on this need, Darusman said he and several researchers at PSSP-LPPM have designed an ELISA-based COVID-19 test kit called IPB's ELISA COVID-19 Antibody Kit.
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The kit is equipped with some innovations, he said. It uses biological ingredients of two viral components, which are Protein N and N Recombinant Protein Antigen (nucleocapsid), and RBD Recombinant Protein (receptor-binding domain) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, he informed.
The prototype of the kit has been developed and is planned to be used for post-vaccination patients or COVID-19 patients post-recovery for assessing whether the vaccination or formation of COVID-19 antibodies in each patient has been successful, he explained.
Furthermore, he said he hoped that the antibody kit could be used to evaluate the implementation of the vaccination program in Indonesia.
The data can be taken into account for designing better governance and strategies for carrying out vaccinations, he said.
"This innovation has been conducted to support national independence in COVID-19 handling, as well as a form of IPB University's contribution to the country's health research," he added.
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Translator: Riza H, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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