Indonesia to produce mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
Indonesia’s State-run pharmaceutical firm PT Bio Farma will be producing COVID-19 vaccine using the mRNA technology after the Southeast Asian country has been appointed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the beneficiaries of the vaccine technology transfer.
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s State-run pharmaceutical
firm PT Bio Farma will be producing COVID-19 vaccine using the mRNA technology after
the Southeast Asian country has been appointed by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) as one of the beneficiaries of the vaccine technology transfer.
PT Bio Farma is the only vaccine company in Indonesia selected to receive mRNA technology from WHO, Director Honesti Basyir said in a statement.
He said the company itself has prepared everything related to the development of this mRNA technology, such as the construction of production facilities, for the manufacture in pilot and limited commercial scale.
Previously, the firm has been looking for partners for development through exploring cooperation with the UK-based University of Manchester for mastery of mRNA seeds so that Bio Farma already has the basis for this mRNA technology, he added.
As a first step, Bio Farma will learn to master this mRNA technology platform, for types of vaccines other than COVID-19, because mRNA is a rapid response and fast technology in vaccine development and production, he continued.
Apart from making vaccines, this mRNA technology can also be used to manufacture therapeutic products, such as cancer drugs and others, concluded Honesti.
Bio Farma is the largest vaccine manufacturer in Southeast Asia with an annual production capacity reaching 3.2 billion doses.
Commenting on WHO’s appointment, Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said WHO's trust is only the beginning. This is also part of the massive transformation programme going on at the state-controlled pharmaceutical holding, said Erick.
Erick said the pharmaceutical holding's transformation goal was to provide integrated, affordable, and customer-focused high-quality health products and services.
He further stated that Indonesia also established the health sector as one of the main focuses of the G20 Presidency. Erick assessed that the issue of vaccine distribution and technology transfer should be a priority in overcoming health sector problems./.
PT Bio Farma is the only vaccine company in Indonesia selected to receive mRNA technology from WHO, Director Honesti Basyir said in a statement.
He said the company itself has prepared everything related to the development of this mRNA technology, such as the construction of production facilities, for the manufacture in pilot and limited commercial scale.
Previously, the firm has been looking for partners for development through exploring cooperation with the UK-based University of Manchester for mastery of mRNA seeds so that Bio Farma already has the basis for this mRNA technology, he added.
As a first step, Bio Farma will learn to master this mRNA technology platform, for types of vaccines other than COVID-19, because mRNA is a rapid response and fast technology in vaccine development and production, he continued.
Apart from making vaccines, this mRNA technology can also be used to manufacture therapeutic products, such as cancer drugs and others, concluded Honesti.
Bio Farma is the largest vaccine manufacturer in Southeast Asia with an annual production capacity reaching 3.2 billion doses.
Commenting on WHO’s appointment, Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said WHO's trust is only the beginning. This is also part of the massive transformation programme going on at the state-controlled pharmaceutical holding, said Erick.
Erick said the pharmaceutical holding's transformation goal was to provide integrated, affordable, and customer-focused high-quality health products and services.
He further stated that Indonesia also established the health sector as one of the main focuses of the G20 Presidency. Erick assessed that the issue of vaccine distribution and technology transfer should be a priority in overcoming health sector problems./.
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