The production capacity is 240 million doses per yearJakarta (ANTARA) - PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia, which is producing the Merah Putih (Red-and-White) COVID-19 vaccine in collaboration with Airlangga University, is targeting to churn out 240 million vaccine doses per year.
"The production capacity is 240 million doses per year," president director of PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia, FX Sudirman, said at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) office here on Thursday.
Currently, the Merah Putih vaccine is in its first phase of clinical trials with 90 participants, he said. After the results are obtained and the safety of the vaccine is determined, it will proceed to the second and third phase clinical trials, he added.
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According to Sudirman, the third phase clinical trials will determine whether the vaccine can be used as a booster or only as a primary vaccine. Nevertheless, he said he was optimistic that the vaccine would be used both as a booster and primary vaccine.
"We estimate that there will be a lot of demand. Starting in August (2022), we will start releasing the product in bulk. Hopefully, we will get the emergency-use authorization (EUA) in July. Since this is a national collaboration, the timeline is being determined together," he explained.
Meanwhile, head of the Merah Putih vaccine research team at Airlangga University, Fedik Abdul Rantam, said that the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine is suitable for all groups, from older adults to children, including those with comorbidities.
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He expressed the hope that the Merah Putih vaccine would meet the vaccine needs of children aged 3–6 years.
Earlier, the Merah Putih vaccine developed by Airlangga University and PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia received a halal certificate from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) after going through a series of tests that were run by MUI's Food and Drug Research Institute (LPPOM) and the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM).
Chairman of the MUI for Fatwa, Asrorun Niam, said the halal fatwa for the Merah Putih vaccine was set on February 7, 2022, during the Fatwa Commission's plenary meeting after the receipt of results of research and testing from the ulema council's LPPOM.
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Translator: Asep Frimansyah, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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