Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences will start the first phase of clinical trials on Thailand’s plant-based coronavirus vaccine, called the ‘Baiya Vaccine’, next month with 100 volunteers taking part.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said, during a visit to the vaccine’s production plant at Chulalongkorn University on Friday, that, if human trials are successful, the vaccine will be ready for general administration next year, adding that it can also be further developed to fight coronavirus variants and help reduce the spread.
He said development of the Baiya Vaccine started in February last year and lab tests on mice and monkeys found it is highly effective in boosting the animals’ immunity. The Public Health Ministry provided a 160-million-baht subsidy to fund the construction of a 1,200 square metre plant to develop the vaccine prototype.
According to Mr. Anutin, if all goes well, the plant could start production in the third quarter of next year and noted that the plant can produce up to 5 million doses per month. (NNT)
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