VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The process of developing Indonesia's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, named after the national flag of Red and White, is being expedited and is expected to be ready for production by the end of 2021.

The research and development team for the Red and White Vaccine has been accelerating the development of the vaccine by working in parallel, Deputy for Fundamental Research of the Eijkman Institute Prof. Herawati Sudoyo Supolo stated during a discussion of Merdeka Barat 9 Forum, monitored online here on Wednesday.

"We do not do it one by one, as usually people develop vaccines, but everything is done in parallel," she noted.

Supolo explained that the Red and White Vaccine was being developed using a recombinant protein platform from a part or sub-unit of the SARS CoV 2 virus.

The team conducted genome sequencing from the virus and thereafter extracted the genes from the spike protein present in the virus to be reproduced and used as vaccine seeds.

Her team is using a recombinant protein platform for vaccine production since they are accustomed to using it to speed up the working process.

"Vaccine development involves a very complex process. It has to go through a preclinical phase in the laboratory after which the vaccine seeds are given to the industry, which is actually a lengthy process. However, due to the acceleration, we can overlap. What we have done together is done as quickly as possible but is safe and effective," she remarked.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, chairman of the COVID-19 Research and Innovation Consortium of the Ministry of Research and Technology/National Agency for Research and Innovation, noted that development of the Red and White Vaccine is being conducted jointly with several universities and other research institutions in Indonesia.

This aims to expedite development of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Indonesians, so that the country could become self-reliant.

"Not only the Eijkman Institute, but also LIPI, Unair, IPB, UGM, and UI can develop the Red and White Vaccine with different platforms," he stated.

Development of the Red and White vaccine is expected to be completed by Indonesian researchers at the end of 2020 or early 2021. Furthermore, the phase one, two, and three clinical trial process until the issuance of Emergency Use Authorization by BPOM, the Drug and Food Control Agency, will be conducted throughout 202. (Antaranews)