TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Director of PT Etana Bioechnologies Indonesia Nathan Tirtana explained the process of developing the production of RnD Covid-19 vaccine based on next generation mRNA technology to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Etana Bioechnologies in collaboration with Walvax plans to develop a vaccine that can be stored at a temperature of 2-3 degrees Celsius.

"At this time, the process of cooperation and vaccine production is being finalized, and it fully complies with the regulations and protocols applicable in Indonesia and the WHO," Nathan said to Luhut as quoted in a written statement, Tuesday night, September 7, 2021.

Nathan said Walvax's team of experts will come to Indonesia next week to start technology transfer. The plan is for vaccine production to use single use technology for multiple products in one utility.

The vaccine manufacturing process will begin with plasmid manufacturing, then proceed with the manufacture of mRNA. Nathan explained that mRNA manufacturing will be carried out outside the cell to facilitate the purification process. After that, it will proceed to the mRNA encapsulation stage. He emphasized that the entire research and development process for this vaccine was carried out without testing on animals.

In addition to vaccine production, Nathan said that the company is developing oncology products and is starting to produce epoetin alfa products. Epotin alpha is a drug for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney patients. The production process will start in 2022.

Luhut said the government supports the development of the mRNA-based vaccine. "We also support the third phase of the Clinical Trial which will soon be carried out by Etana, the Emergency Used Authorization process, as well as market guarantees for vaccines that have a high TKDN," said Luhut.

According to him, cooperation in the health sector is important. He hopes that cooperation can foster knowledge transfer so that development and production can be carried out domestically.

"I hope that Indonesia will make a leapfrog with the transfer of mRNA vaccine technology and in the future biotechnology products in Indonesia will develop and Indonesia's health independence will soon be realized," said Luhut.

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Francisca Christy Rosana | Maudey K. Setyakusuma (Internship)