Bio Farma to Receive mRNA Vaccine Transfer Technology

Bio Farma will obtain vaccine manufacturing technology using the mRNA method, for types of vaccines other than Covid-19 (beyond Covid-19), and also used for the manufacture of therapeutic products, such as  cancer drugs and others.

 

(Bandung 24/2) The parent holding of the Pharmaceutical SOE, Bio Farma, is certain to be able to produce the latest vaccine using the mRNA technology platform, after Indonesia is appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a country that will build a hub, or-based Covid-19 vaccine production center messenger in Southeast Asia. This was conveyed by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director General of WHO, at a routine Press Conference on the Covid-19 pandemic on (23/2) in Geneva. 

The global mRNA technology transfer center was established in 2021, to support manufacturers in knowledge to manufacture their own vaccines, ensuring that they have all the necessary and operating procedures to produce mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi, said in her speech that Indonesia's ability to utilize mRNA technology will serve the regional arena for the manufacture of mRNA technology-based vaccines. 

“Indonesia is one of the countries that continues to voice the distribution of vaccines, including technology transfer, especially for developing countries. This health issue is one of the priorities in Indonesia's G20 Presidency," said Retno.

Retno continued that her party was pleased that Indonesia and Bio Farma were one of the countries that would accept the transfer of mRNA technology. Bio Farma, as the largest vaccine manufacturer in Southeast Asia. Annually, Bio Farma's production capacity reaches 3.2 billion. Bio Farma provides 14 types of vaccines which have been exported to more than 150 countries.

This technology transfer will contribute to ensuring equal access to medicines so that we can recover together and recover stronger, recover together recover stronger," he added.

Meanwhile, Director of Bio Farma, Honesti Basyir said that Bio Farma itself has prepared everything related to the development of this mRNA technology, such as the construction of production facilities, for the manufacture of pilot scale mRNA and limited commercial scale (building 34). ) and also the most important thing is Human Resources.

"Of course we welcome Bio Farma as the only vaccine company in Indonesia that will accept the transfer of mRNA technology. God willing, we will use this trust to support the nation's independence in making vaccines with technology independently, "said Honesti.

Previously, Bio Farma itself has been looking for partners for development through exploring cooperation with the University of Manchester for mastery of mRNA seeds so that Bio Farma already has the basis for this mRNA technology.

As a first step, in accordance with the Transfer of Technology program, Bio Farma will "But the point is that we will learn to master this mRNA technology platform, for types of vaccines other than Covid-19 (beyond Covid-19), and for preparation when a pandemic occurs, because mRNA is a rapid response , namely fast technology in vaccine development and production (plug and play), apart from making vaccines, this mRNA technology can also be used to manufacture therapeutic products, such as cancer drugs and others," concluded Honesti.  (ed)