For the Merah Putih vaccine, we are very grateful that one team managed to enter the first phase clinical trialJakarta (ANTARA) - The first phase clinical trial of the domestically-produced Merah Putih vaccine is a huge leap for independent vaccine development in Indonesia, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) head Laksana Tri Handoko has said.
"This is a huge leap, not just for the Unair (Airlangga University) team, but also for the other six Merah Putih vaccine teams," he told ANTARA here on Wednesday.
The first phase clinical trial has also gotten the attention of the entire Merah Putih vaccine development team because it can serve as a lesson for the other teams once they enter the same phase, he said.
He lauded the efforts made by the vaccine development team that have led to Unair's Merah Putih vaccine entering the first phase clinical trial.
"For the Merah Putih vaccine, we are very grateful that one team managed to enter the first phase clinical trial," he remarked.
In addition to Airlangga University, six other teams are developing the Merah Putih vaccine, and all of them have been incorporated in the national consortium for vaccine development, he said.
The other teams comprise the University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, Gadjah Mada University, Padjadjaran University, former Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology.
Each team developing the Merah Putih vaccine is using a different method, with some working on an inactivated virus-based vaccine and others on a recombinant protein-based vaccine, he noted.
However, the fastest progress has been made by Airlangga University, which is collaborating with PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia, he said.
Currently, the Merah Putih vaccine, whose vaccine seed has been developed by Airlangga University, is undergoing the first phase clinical trial. Ninety volunteers aged at least 18 years are participating in the trial.
Meanwhile, other teams are still at the antigen yield optimization stage, and half of them are carrying out pre-clinical trials, Handoko said.
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Translator: Martha H S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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