Through Technology Transfer, Etana Successfully Develops Various Biotechnology And Vaccine Products In 2023

Photo: Doc. Etana

JAKARTA - PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia (Etana), is the original Indonesian biopharmaceutical company that became the first company in ASEAN to have an mRNA technology platform, delivering its achievements in developing a number of biological and vaccine products through technology transfer and collaboration with various parties both at home and abroad.

Etana President Director Nathan Tirtana said that currently Etana already has several biological products including Erythropoietin Alfa used by Kronik Kidney Patients (PGK) who undergo dialysis to increase blood pressure (Hb) to prevent anemia and Monoclonal Antibody-Bevacizumab is used for cancer patients to treat advanced non-cell lung cancer and metastatic colossal cancer.

"We are also developing the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine with mRNA technology, the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive a halal certificate in the world from LPPOM-MUI and is produced locally by Etana, and the PCV-13 vaccine which is a pneumonia vaccine given to children until the age of 2 years," said Nathan, in a written statement, Friday, December 5.

Nathan explained, throughout 2023 Etana focused on developing biopharmaceutical products through technology transfers, which could shorten time in producing biological products and vaccines. To achieve this, Etana collaborates a lot with leading biofarmation companies in various countries.

"In addition, Etana is also working with academics and the government in conducting research and development (R&D) to develop new biological products according to the conditions of the Indonesian people," he added.

Nathan said that the pandemic condition is a momentum for the health industry that has to face the reality that it is very difficult to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Domestic technology that is owned has not been able to produce vaccines quickly, where the vaccine manufacturing process usually takes 5-10 years.

Learning from this condition, Etana strives to answer the challenges that exist by bringing new technology, namely mRNA technology through technology transfer in collaboration with one of the Chinese biopharmaceutical companies. The process of transferring mRNA technology has been carried out well, at this time we only need about two months to produce vaccines," he said.

In addition, Nathan revealed that throughout 2023, Etana has collaborated with domestic and foreign institutions which of course have been supported by the government, including the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia and the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) in the development of research, human resources and innovation in the health sector, especially in mRNA technology, as well as with the Indonesian Ministry of Health and Tsinghua University in vaccine evaluation.

"In addition, at the Indonesia-China Business Forum some time ago, Etana and CanSino Bio signed a cooperation document in the field of Biofarmasi and Vaccines which was witnessed directly by the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo," he added.

Furthermore, Nathan said, the main challenge in the biofarmation industry is the development of Human Resources (HR). To get human resources capable of understanding this industry takes quite a long time, but his party believes that the human resources that Etana currently has are human resources who are already experienced and master their fields.

Through human resource technology transfers, we have many opportunities to learn about developments that occur in biofarmation. By having competent human resources, Etana hopes to support the development of biotechnology in Indonesia," he concluded.