REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- Indonesia will produce a corona virus vaccine in early 2022 called Merah Putih (the Red and White) vaccine. Red and white symbolizes the color of the Indonesian flag which is an affirmation that this vaccine is made by Indonesians.

Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K Lukita said there are two studies of the Red and White vaccine. First, research conducted by Universitas Airlangga Surabaya which has entered the preclinical stage. The Merah Putih vaccine clinical test at this stage will be held in the third to fourth quarter of 2021.

"So in early 2022 the vaccine from the Airlangga University Surabaya research can be mass produced," said Penny in a press conference at the Bio Farma office, Friday (16/4).

Second, there are recombinant proteins between the Eijkman and Biofarma institutions. In Semester 2 of 2022, it is hoped that the clinical trials will be completed. "In the second semester of 2022 it can be produced," said Penny.

Penny explained that the Indonesian government has issued a presidential decree on the development of the Covid 19 vaccine in supporting Indonesia's independence in the Covid-19 vaccine.

There are six campuses involved in this project and two agencies conducting research, namely the Eijkman Institute in partnership with Bio Farma.

President Director of Bio Farma Honesti Basyir said that currently his party was testing the vaccine from Eijkman to find out whether the extraction of the antigen was appropriate. Bio Farma has prepared facilities ranging from clinical trial development to production.

Indonesia has already implemented a vaccination program using the Sinovac vaccine from China and AstraZeneca from the UK. Recently, the Nusantara vaccine emerged, which was used by a number of community leaders even though it had not received clinical trial permission from the BPOM.

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