Durian. The development of the covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia through the collaboration of its state-owned biopharmaceutical firm Kalbe Farma with Genexine Inc. from South Korea will enter phase II clinical trials which will be conducted in September or October 2020, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta on July 23.
“Genexine has conducted phase I of clinical trials in South Korea until August 2020, while phase II clinical trials are planned to begin in Indonesia in September or October 2020,” Minister Marsudi said.
She explained the collaboration between Genexine and Kalbe Farma is using a DNA vaccine type platform.
Since June 2020, the Indonesian embassy in Seoul has also facilitated discussion of cooperation between Kalbe Farma and Genexine.
Indonesia through its another state-owned biopharmaceutical firm Bio Farma is also exploring vaccine cooperation with Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
“Since April 2020, the Indonesian Embassy in Oslo has been conducting intensive communication and facilitating the submission of Bio Farma cooperation proposals to CEPI to explore opportunities for cooperation as partners for the development and production of CEPI vaccines,” Retno said.
At present, he said, Bio Farma has been included in the shortlist of potential manufacturers of covid-19 vaccine with CEPI.
CEPI is one of the leading Public Private Partnership (PPP) platforms in vaccine development. At least seven CEPI vaccine candidates have entered the clinical trial stage, including Inovio (DNA), Moderna (RNA), Novavax (protein sub unit), AstraZeneca (non-replicating viral vector), Curevac (RNA), and Clover Pharmaceuticals (protein sub-unit) and the University of Queensland (protein sub-
unit).
Another cavid-19 vaccine candidate is now in the phase III of clinical trials in Indonesia as part of cooperation between Bio Farma and Chinese-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac.
