TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Research and Development Manager of PT Bio Farma, Erman Tritama, said the company targets to complete the typhoid conjugate in 2019, which is the new generation of typhoid vaccine.
“Why 2019? the RSCM (Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital) has done clinical studies so it will be ready to be launched in 2019,” Erman said on Sunday, March 19, 2017.
Erman explained that this new generation of typhoid vaccine has improved compared to the previous generation. The earlier generation of typhoid vaccine could not provide immunity for children under two years old. “But the typhoid conjugate will be able to be given to children under two years old,” he said.
Other than that, he is confident that it could provide a much longer protection. “So, by giving it once or twice to 9 months and two years old children would be enough for a lifetime protection.”
The company targets the vaccine's production to 20 million doses per year. Erman explained that the number is based on the world market data in 2024, which reaches 180 million doses. “The demand will be high. Our strategy is to design 20 million doses and develop the capacity from that. If [the demand] is high, we’ll export it,” he said.
Bio Farma Company Secretary, Rahman Rustan, stated that they will initiate an increase in capacity if they receive demands from other countries as the use of typhoid vaccine is predicted to spike in a number of developing countries.
Bio Farma also expects the average birth that will reach 5 million infants per year. “ It’s prioritized for the domestic market, the rest will be exported for global needs,” Rahman said.
ARKHELAUS W.
