BPOM Supports Development of Indonesia-China mRNA Dengue Vaccine
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has said that the mRNA-based dengue vaccine being developed by the University of Indonesia and Tsinghua University will not only help Indonesia but also the world, and it therefore supports the project by ensuring its safety and efficacy.
BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar said in Jakarta on Wednesday that around 390 million people globally are infected with the dengue virus each year. Data from the Ministry of Health show that each year, 161,000 people in Indonesia are infected with the virus, and 700 die from the disease.
“This is an important discovery, and we can develop even more,” said Taruna at the launch of the mRNA Dengue Vaccine Prototype.
He explained that mRNA technology has several advantages: it is more stable, efficacious, advanced and easy to develop.
He noted that although the vaccine is not yet finished, the discovery represents a very important first step.
Taruna said he hopes the collaboration can help tackle the disease worldwide.
“I believe the collaboration between two great universities and institutions from around the world, including the University of Indonesia and Tsinghua University — I believe the results will progress and turn out well,” he said.
On that occasion, he said he also appreciated those who had involved BPOM in the vaccine’s development from the outset. According to him, that involvement has given the agency a better understanding of the standards, methods and characteristics involved, enabling it to support the project more precisely.
“Because we will make history here. The world’s first mRNA vaccine for dengue fever,” he said.
“However, from the pre-clinical trials we conducted, the antibody titres for neutralising the dengue virus — particularly serotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Indonesian strains — were indeed far better compared with the commercial vaccines already available in Indonesia,” she said.
Beti expressed hope that within six months, its efficacy in subjects in Indonesia can be observed, and that the results will match those of the pre-clinical trials.
Director of the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) Ayom Widipaminto said that LPDP together with PT Etana is funding the vaccine’s prototype and clinical trials, with LPDP providing Rp7 billion and PT Etana Rp9 billion. He said the institution is ready to provide funding to ensure Indonesia obtains the vaccines and medical equipment it needs.
“This is the second year, and we will continue into the third year. Going forward, the permanent research fund stands at Rp14 trillion in total. Each year, Rp1 trillion can be utilised. And there is ample room,” he said.