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UNAIR NEWS- ������ (UNAIR) received two awards from the Minister of Research and Technology, Prof. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro, S.E., M.U.P., Ph.D. They were awarded to UNAIR for its involvement as a national team member for acceleration of ‘Merah Putih’ vaccine development in December 2020. is a part of a national consortium in research on the development of the vaccine.

As explained by the Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Community Development, Prof. Dr, Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih, M.Si, the ‘Merah Putih’ vaccine development is at the preclinical trials to macaques. Her presentation was delivered at a webinar titled “Innovation, Optimism, and Transformation of Health Services and Disaster Mitigation in Pandemic Period” on Monday, August 2, 2021.

“In the end, we are a bit behind schedule for the clinical trials because of the macaque issues. Initially, we have scheduled production at Biotis for mass-scale preparation in March, but it might be delayed for a month. If later on the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) allows the macaque test to be carried out in parallel to phase one of the clinical trials, it will be extraordinary and accelerate our work,” said Prof. Nyoman.

Prof. Nyoman also revealed that UNAIR was the first which test ‘Merah Putih’ vaccine with macaques. “We are the first to test the “Merah Putih” inactivated virus vaccine with the macaques independently at UNAIR. Alhamdulillah, now we have macaques procurement assistance, in collaboration with the East Java Natural Resource Conservation Center (BKSDA Jatim),” said Prof. Nyoman.

Prof. Nyoman also said that the screening would also be carried out independently because UNAIR has a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine that is ready to conduct the screening process. “We have endless gratitude that we have been given facilities to be part of UNAIR’s internal works as well as collaboration with other institutions nationally and internationally,” said Prof. Nyoman who is also the coordinator of Covid-19 research at UNAIR.

The vaccine development by UNAIR uses two platform schemes. As explained by Prof. Nyoman, UNAIR uses the classical platform and next-generation platform scheme. UNAIR develops the vaccine from the inactivated viruses for the classical platform, while for the next generation platform, UNAIR uses adenoviral vector and peptide.

Prof. Nyoman also said that UNAIR’s academic community is open to all researchers in Indonesia who wish to conduct trials using animal biosafety level 3 facility for microbial tests to more serious potential and life-threatening hazards through the respiratory route. “That makes us proud of as part of UNAIR,” concluded Prof. Nyoman.

Author: Fauzia Gadis Widyanti Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia (AC/AP)