VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Research and Technology Minister Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro highlighted the government’s decision to accelerate the clinical trial of the Red and White Vaccine to ensure mass production for the public by 2021-end.

"We have communicated with Bio Farma and BPOM. We will make all-out efforts to accelerate the clinical trial while adhering to every required protocol," Brodjonegoro remarked during the road show of a mobile BSL-2 bus at the Gadjah Mada University here on Friday.

The ministry has issued a ministerial decree to involve Gadjah Mada University (UGM) as one of the institutions developing the Red and White vaccine using a recombinant protein platform.

"Incidentally, UGM uses the recombinant protein," he remarked.

Three vaccine seed developments by Airlangga University, the University of Indonesia, and the Eijkman Institute respectively clocked the quickest progress.

"Hence, it is estimated that the three of them have the potential to hand over vaccine seeds to Bio Farma in the first quarter of next year," he affirmed. Indonesia too has entered the fray by developing its own vaccine called Red and White, which refers to the colors of its national flag.

The Red and White vaccine is being entirely developed by Indonesia. The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), the Ministry of Research and Technology, and several universities are working on the vaccine.

In the meantime, the Red and White vaccine is being developed using a recombinant method, wherein, instead of the whole virus, only certain parts of it that are deemed important will be multiplied and used as antigens. (antaranews)