Bio Farma: Sinovac Vaccine Chosen By Indonesia Because Of The Fastest Clinical Trials

The Covid-19 vaccine made by Sinovac is already in Bio Farma. The vaccine is moved from the Envirotainer to a cool room with a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius (Photo: BPMI Setpres / Muchlis Jr.)

JAKARTA - President Director of PT Bio Farma, Honesti Basyir, revealed the reason the government decided to choose the COVID-19 vaccine made by a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Sinovac. One of the strong reasons is the speed in the clinical trial process of the three vaccines.

"We can say that the basis for selecting the COVID-19 vaccine must meet several factors, namely meeting the elements of safety, speed, and also having to meet the independent aspects," he said, in the update 'Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution Planning and Quality Control' virtual, Tuesday, December 8.

In addition, said Honesti, the Sinovac vaccine also has efficacy and quality that is guaranteed by the authorized institution. Sinovac vaccine has also run a series of tests ranging from pre-clinical to stage 1 clinical trials, stage 2 clinical trials, and stage 3 clinical trials.

"Judging from the timeline and development, the COVID-19 vaccine candidate from Sinovac is one of the 10 fastest candidates, who have entered the phase 3 clinical trial," he said.

Not only that, the similarity in the type of vaccine platform used by Sinovac, said Honesti, is another consideration for Indonesia to choose this vaccine. Besides being controlled by Bio Farma, this system has also been recognized by the World Health Organization or WHO.

"In terms of the platform and the method of using this vaccine, using an inactivated platform or a killed virus that has been proven in other types of vaccines and has been mastered by Bio Farma," he said.

Honesti said that currently as many as 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac were purchased in finished form. However, he ensured that the cooperation between the two parties was accompanied by a technology transfer process. So that later when the vaccine in raw or bulk form is scheduled to arrive this December, Bio Farma can process it independently for domestic needs.

"In the collaboration between Bio Farma and Sinovac, there is also a transfer of technology in terms of the required tests. Bio Farma already has a long experience in distributing vaccines for both government and private needs," he explained.

After the arrival of this first vaccine, said Honesti, Indonesia will continue to bring in 15 million doses of vaccines in December 2020 in the form of raw materials.

"The remaining 3 million doses of the vaccine will be 1.8 million doses at the end of December 2020 or early January 2021. Still around January 2021, 30 million doses of vaccines will also arrive in the form of raw materials," he said.

Honesti emphasized that all vaccines that have arrived are the same type of vaccine that has been carried out in phase 3 clinical trials, both in Indonesia, Brazil, and several other countries.