Collaboration Between Bio Farma and The Gates Foundation Aims to Enhance Vaccine Capacity in Indonesia

^{Picture: (front row left-right) Deputy President Director of Bio Farma, Soleh Ayubi, Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, President of Global Development Gates Foundation, Christopher Elias, President Director of Bio Farma, Shadiq Akasya, and President Commissioner of Bio Farma, Tugas Ratmono during the facility visit.}

On November 25, 2024, Bio Farma, the holding company of the state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma Group, received a joint visit from the Indonesian Ministry of Health and a delegation from the Gates Foundation at Bio Farma's production facility in Bandung, West Java. The meeting discussed the readiness of Bio Farma's production facilities to produce the nOPV2 vaccine and the collaboration strategy between the two institutions in the future.

The event was attended by the Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and his staff; the President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, Christopher Elias, and his staff; and Bio Farma’s President Director, Shadiq Akasya, along with the board of directors and commissioners of Bio Farma.

On this occasion, the Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, stated that Indonesia is ready to become a global Strategic Health Hub.

"Bio Farma is currently known as one of the leading manufacturers in vaccine production and has been recognized by our global partner, the Gates Foundation. The Ministry of Health encourages Bio Farma to actively contribute to both domestic and global health. We are optimistic that through collaboration between our two organizations, Indonesia will establish itself as a global Strategic Health Hub, with Bali serving as the central hub,” said Budi.

Budi also expressed his hope that the collaboration between Bio Farma and the Gates Foundation can be sustained and expanded in the future.

This collaboration reflects the long-standing and well-established relationship between the Gates Foundation and Bio Farma. It is a step toward eradicating polio and a strategic effort to address future disease challenges. “We hope that the collaboration between the two institutions will continue to thrive, regardless of leadership changes,” Budi added.

Bio Farma plays a vital role in the global fight against polio, supplying the nOPV2 vaccine and collaborating with the Gates Foundation to increase vaccine production in Indonesia. Bio Farma has been instrumental in introducing critical vaccines, including those for rotavirus and HPV. It has also played a crucial role in developing vaccines for COVID-19 and Hexasiil. In November 2024, Bio Farma secured export contracts worth IDR 1.4 trillion, reaching 50% of its annual export target. These contracts cover vaccines for polio, diphtheria, and tetanus.

Bio Farma’s President Director, Shadiq Akasya, stated that Bio Farma will carry out the government's mandate to support domestic and global health initiatives.

The development of nOPV2 is the result of a collaborative partnership between Bio Farma and its global partners, including the Gates Foundation. The provision of Bio Farma vaccines, most of which have met WHO prequalification standards, highlights the company’s dedication to global health initiatives. “We hope that Bio Farma will continue to play a key role in the global effort to eradicate polio, just as it contributed to the eradication of smallpox in the past,” said Shadiq.

Christopher Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, expressed gratitude to the Indonesian Government and Bio Farma for their significant contributions to global disease eradication efforts.

“We greatly appreciate the cooperation that has been established between the two parties. Bio Farma was instrumental in the eradication of smallpox in the 1970s, a remarkable milestone in global health history. Now, Bio Farma is ready to take on the next challenge—polio eradication. The company’s commitment is evident in its willingness to distribute polio vaccines to Gaza, Palestine. We are confident that Bio Farma will continue to innovate and achieve historic milestones in the future. Thank you, and we look forward to continued collaboration,” said Christopher.