Know The Six COVID-19 Vaccines That Will Circulate In Indonesia

Photo illustration (CDC / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenkes RI) has determined six COVID-19 vaccines to be used in Indonesia. The six vaccines were imported from many parties, both foreign and domestic.

This determination is contained in the Decree of the Minister of Health Number HK.01.07 / Menkes / 9860/2020 concerning the Determination of Vaccines for the Implementation of the 2019 Virus Disease Vaccine (COVID-19). The six vaccines were imported from PT Bio Farma (Persero), AstraZeneca, China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (Sinopharm), Moderna, PFizer Inc and BioNTech, and Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

Six of these vaccines are partly in the middle of implementing phase three clinical trials, others are just being completed. The following is brief information about the six vaccines.

1. Red and White Vaccine

This vaccine is the only locally made vaccine the Indonesian government will use. The red and white vaccine is targeted to be ready for distribution in early 2022.

Before being distributed, the Red and White Vaccine still has to go through all phases of clinical trial phases 1, 2, and 3. According to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, the seeds of the Red and White Vaccine will soon be handed over to PT Bio Farma in 2021.

"Until now, the Red and White vaccine is being developed by a number of leading universities and research institutions in Indonesia. We continue to oversee and support the development of this vaccine well," Wiku said during a press conference at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday, November 19.

2. AstraZeneca

Apart from developing local vaccines, Indonesia is also collaborating in the supply of vaccines with the British pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca. The vaccine that will be imported is called AZD1222.

This vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca with the University of Oxford. Indonesia and AstraZeneca have met to discuss the provision of AZD1222.

The two parties have also signed a letter of intent to approve an advance purchase agreement before the end of October. The Ministry of Health said this was done to open the widest possible access to vaccines for the Indonesian people.

3. Sinopharm

This vaccine was developed by the Chinese National Pharmaceutical Group. Sinopharm has so far undergone phase 3 clinical trials in the United Arab Emirates.

The clinical trial was running since the end of June 2020. The trial involved 15 thousand participants who were injected with two types of vaccines.

Sinopharm targets to start marketing in December 2020. Sinopharm itself has committed 15 million doses of vaccine this year.

4. Sinovac

Apart from Sinopharm, Indonesia has collaborated in providing vaccines with another Chinese biopharmaceutical company, namely Sinovac Biotech Ltd. In this collaboration, Indonesia and Sinovac are working with Bio Farma to develop vaccines in the country.

The vaccine is predicted to be sold for IDR 200 thousand in Indonesia. Sinovac itself has committed 3 million doses of vaccine by the end of December 2020.

In this cooperation, Sinovac has committed to sending 1.5 million doses of vaccine in the first week of November. Meanwhile, another 1.5 million doses of vaccine will be delivered in the first week of December 2020, plus 15 million doses of vaccine in bulk form.

5. Moderna

This one vaccine is made in the United States (US). The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical company has applied for the emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine with the US health authorities and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

Moderna's Phase 3 clinical trial found that their vaccine was up to 94.1 percent effective against the coronavirus. However, this figure is actually lower than the previous analysis, November 16, where the effectiveness of the vaccine reached 94.5 percent.

6. PFizer / BioNTech

The US pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, is working with BioNTech, a German company, in this vaccine development project. Both parties claim their vaccine is effective at preventing the corona virus by up to 90 percent.

Most importantly, both parties also stated that vaccines did not have dangerous side effects. Pfizer has big ambitions in the vaccine project.

They are targeting to be ten vaccine candidates included in the final stage of testing around the world. The four tests were recorded in the US.

According to records, Pfizer / BioNTech was the first pharmaceutical company to release vaccine research data on 94 volunteers. The results of the study are seen as promising.