Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the Red and White Vaccine Team to work at a swift pace to develop the COVID-19 vaccine seeds for which research is currently underway by domestic institutions.
"The president gave directions to the team to work quickly, especially for the development of the Red and White vaccine seeds being researched and developed by domestic institutions," Bambang Brodjonegoro, who chairs a team in charge of developing the Red and White vaccine, stated after meeting with Jokowi at the Presidential Palace here on Wednesday.
Brodjonegoro, concurrently the research and technology minister, remarked that currently the Eijkman Institution had begun development of the Red and White Vaccine, with a recombinant protein platform, for which the process has reached 50-percent completion of its task of developing vaccine seeds in the laboratory.
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The Eijkman Institute has set a target to complete the vaccine trials on animals by the end of this year.
"Thus, early next year around January, the Eijkman Institute can hand over the vaccine seeds to PT Bio Farma for production formulations in the context of clinical trials, comprising clinical trials phase 1, 2, and 3," he remarked.
After the clinical trials conclude and the Food and Drug Administration ensures that the vaccine is safe for use and suitable for strengthening the body's resistance to COVID-19, Bio Farma will conduct mass production of the vaccines.
"It is estimated that in the fourth quarter of 2021, the vaccine can be produced in large quantities and will complement the COVID-19 vaccine that will initially be imported with the cooperation of foreign parties, especially with Sinovac China and G42 United Arab Emirates. The vaccination process is expected to be conduct immediately," he noted.
Currently, Indonesia is endeavoring to manufacture the vaccine through two ways: the development of an indigenous vaccine by domestic institutions and imported vaccines in cooperation with foreign institutions.
The government is keen to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine is available for the people at the earliest.
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