UNAIR NEWS – Collaborating with various parties, UNAIR’s Merah Putih vaccine has reached the third phase of the clinical trial stage. In the presence of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), the Kick-Off of the Third Phase of the Merah Putih vaccine Clinical Trial was held in the UNAIR Faculty of Medicine Hall on Monday, June 27, 2022.
Head of Merah Putih Vaccine Research Team UNAIR Prof Dr Fedik Abdul Rantam drh said that the Third Phase of the Merah Putih vaccine Clinical Trial is the next phase of the Government program with several institutions’. UNAIR actually has three platforms, but the inactivated one becomes the most relied platform.
“Through sample 59, we were able to isolate the Coronavirus with 27 isolates at that time. Later, it was validated into 3 isolates that could be developed. From the three isolates, various tests were conducted, ranging from gene stability, genetic immune stability, and growth stability. Only one we can obtain will be developed into a vaccine,” said Prof Fedik.
UNAIR found the isolated virus for the first time in 2020. The research continued until the preclinical test. Prof Fedik expressed his gratitude to the BPOM team for guiding his team in the vaccine development.
“We are determined to develop and realize one vaccine, it is all thanks to our supporting partners. The initial concept was triple-helix, which turned into Pentahelix as it involves mass media and society,” he said.
Ability of Merah Putih Vaccine
During the press conference, Prof Fedik stated that Covid-19 development, from the Delta, Omicron, and other new variants are fluctuating. He assured that based on various tests, the Merah Putih vaccine has the ability to neutralize the most recent virus variants. It neutralizes infections and other mutations. However, the vaccine cannot be measured through the antibody titer, but the neutralization ability.
“The antibody titer relatively depends on the individual; however, neutralization is the most important part. Memory cells are proportional to antibody titers. As the antibody drops, the memory gets low and vice versa. A booster or second vaccine will increase the memory,” he said.
Author: Balqis Primasari
Editor : Binti Q. Masruroh
