TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A team from the University of Padjajaran (Unpad) faculty of medicine is reportedly preparing a mass clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine taking place this July with plans to subject 1,640 volunteers for the immunization process.

The test is a follow up to the multi-partnership between the university, PT Bio Farma, and Sinovach Biotech that produces the CoronaVac vaccine. Similar trials are also being done in China.

“This time it will be the third phase of the tests and is the final stage,” said team leader Kusnandi Rusmil to Tempo on June 17.

The team leader states that the final stage of the trials must be held in several cities or countries with a minimum of 800 volunteers in each location. His team consists of dozens of medical specialists and 30 general practitioners will oversee the vaccine volunteers.

He personally is eyeing on finishing the clinical tests within 9 months. “I don’t want to fail,” said Kusnandi who has been involved in roughly 30 clinical vaccine tests.

Test volunteers will be injected with the CoronaVac twice while also closely monitoring them to understand its side effects.

Meanwhile, the Head of Corporate Communications Bio Farma Iwan Setiawan said that the company has partnered with Sinovac Biotech to develop the CoronaVac. They previously partnered to supply the polio vaccine, or Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).

Once the tests pass, the CoronaVac will be produced and distributed for the Indonesian market before thinking about exporting it to Southeast Asian countries. “Bio Farma’s production capacity at least hovers around 100 - 250 million doses of vaccines per year.” As for the price of the completed product, Iwan assures that it has yet to be fixed but says it will be affordable for a large member of society.

Read also: State Minister: 340 Million COVID-19 Vaccines Would be Needed

ANWAR SISWADI