VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The domestically produced IndoVac COVID-19 vaccine has passed the clinical trial for booster vaccination, the president director of state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma Persero, Honesti Basyir, informed here on Wednesday.

"Bio Farma has finished the IndoVac clinical trial for booster with temporary results in which it (has been found that the vaccine) can increase antibody titer and neutralize Omicron," he said.

Despite this, the IndoVac vaccine is still in the testing phase for receiving emergency-use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

Bio Farma delivered the clinical trial results for the booster vaccination to BPOM on October 10, 2022.

"According to the booster study, through the clinical trial that began on September 1, 2022, 14 days after the second administration, IndoVac vaccine booster can increase antibody titer and neutralize Omicron vaccine," Basyir informed.

He said that the company aims to get the EUA to use IndoVac as a booster vaccination for adults or people aged 18 years and above by the end of October 2022.

Bio Farma is also continuing to develop IndoVac so that it can be accepted as a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 years, he said.

The company received BPOM’s approval to execute a clinical trial on September 30.

"New booster study can be proposed after there is a primary study interim report. Meanwhile, the clinical trial for the age group has been ongoing since October 6, 2022," he informed.

The pharmaceutical state-owned enterprise (SOE) holding expects the EUA for the vaccination of children aged 12–17 years using IndoVac to be issued at the start of December.

"Meanwhile, for IndoVac primary and booster for children aged 6–11 years, a new clinical trial will be undertaken if there is a commitment from the Health Ministry toward the need for vaccination in 6–11 years children," he explained.

Basyir stressed that the portfolio for IndoVac has become broader to help the entire strata of Indonesian society in receiving the vaccine.

This includes making IndoVac a vaccine to be used for both primary and booster vaccination of adults, as well as immunization of children aged 12–17 years and those below 12 years. (antaranews)