Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s State-run pharmaceuticalfirm PT Bio Farma will be producing COVID-19 vaccine using the mRNA technology afterthe 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 selectedto receive mRNA technology from WHO, Director Honesti Basyir said in astatement.
He said the company itself has prepared everything relatedto the development of this mRNA technology, such as the construction of productionfacilities, for the manufacture in pilot and limited commercial scale.
Previously, the firm has been looking for partners fordevelopment through exploring cooperation with the UK-based University ofManchester for mastery of mRNA seeds so that Bio Farma already has the basisfor this mRNA technology, he added.
As a first step, Bio Farma will learn to master this mRNAtechnology platform, for types of vaccines other than COVID-19, because mRNA isa rapid response and fast technology in vaccine development and production, hecontinued.
Apart from making vaccines, this mRNA technology can also beused to manufacture therapeutic products, such as cancer drugs and others,concluded Honesti.
Bio Farma is the largest vaccine manufacturer in SoutheastAsia with an annual production capacity reaching 3.2 billion doses.
Commenting on WHO’s appointment, Indonesian Minister ofState-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said WHO's trust is only the beginning.This is also part of the massive transformation programme going on at thestate-controlled pharmaceutical holding, said Erick.
Erick said the pharmaceutical holding's transformation goalwas to provide integrated, affordable, and customer-focused high-quality healthproducts and services.
He further stated that Indonesia also established the healthsector as one of the main focuses of the G20 Presidency. Erick assessed thatthe issue of vaccine distribution and technology transfer should be a priorityin overcoming health sector problems./.
PT Bio Farma is the only vaccine company in Indonesia selectedto receive mRNA technology from WHO, Director Honesti Basyir said in astatement.
He said the company itself has prepared everything relatedto the development of this mRNA technology, such as the construction of productionfacilities, for the manufacture in pilot and limited commercial scale.
Previously, the firm has been looking for partners fordevelopment through exploring cooperation with the UK-based University ofManchester for mastery of mRNA seeds so that Bio Farma already has the basisfor this mRNA technology, he added.
As a first step, Bio Farma will learn to master this mRNAtechnology platform, for types of vaccines other than COVID-19, because mRNA isa rapid response and fast technology in vaccine development and production, hecontinued.
Apart from making vaccines, this mRNA technology can also beused to manufacture therapeutic products, such as cancer drugs and others,concluded Honesti.
Bio Farma is the largest vaccine manufacturer in SoutheastAsia with an annual production capacity reaching 3.2 billion doses.
Commenting on WHO’s appointment, Indonesian Minister ofState-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said WHO's trust is only the beginning.This is also part of the massive transformation programme going on at thestate-controlled pharmaceutical holding, said Erick.
Erick said the pharmaceutical holding's transformation goalwas to provide integrated, affordable, and customer-focused high-quality healthproducts and services.
He further stated that Indonesia also established the healthsector as one of the main focuses of the G20 Presidency. Erick assessed thatthe issue of vaccine distribution and technology transfer should be a priorityin overcoming health sector problems./.
VNA
