Thailand To Start Trials For Its Homegrown Covid-19 Vaccine In September

BANGKOK, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Thailand is set to start human trials on its homegrown plant based COVID-19 vaccine in coming September and its is expected to be ready for Thais next year. The subunit vaccine developed by Chulalongkorn University’s Vaccine Research Centre and Baiya Phytopharm Co. Ltd. (Baiya Phytopharm). Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul said a total 100 volunteers would join for the first clinical trial of the vaccine. He said the volunteers would be given three different dosages – 10, 50 and 100 micrograms of the candidate vaccine to determine an appropriate effective dose for adults. He said a pre-clinical study in mice and monkey found the vaccine candidate being highly effective in boosting the animals’ immunity. “If human trials are successful, the vaccine will be ready for Thais next year. “The researchers are testing it against 10 variants. If the research is successful, we may have something similar to a flu vaccine that can protect against several strains,” he said quoting Bangkok Post. In a press release, Chulalongkorn University said the “Baiya Vaccine” is produced from plant leaves, by Baiya Phytofarm and used heirloom tobacco leaves from Australia to function as the virus’ non-pathogenic genetic materials. Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Baiya Phytofarm Asst. Prof. Dr. Sutheera Dejkhunnavuth said Baiya Vaccine against COVID-19 is a subunit vaccine that has been produced for a long time in other countries using plants, insects while some countries like Canada and South Korea use plant leaves. “This vaccine uses heirloom tobacco leaves from Australia to function as the virus’ non-pathogenic genetic materials. When injected into the body, the vaccine will boost our immunity to fight the infection,” Dr Sutheera said. The “Baiya Vaccine” is the work by two researchers from Faculty of Pharmacy, Chulalongkorn University -Asst. Prof. Dr. Suthira Taychakhoonavudh and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waranyoo Phoolcharoen. Suthira said the vaccine is expected to be ready in middle of next year at 300 to 500 baht per dose. Beside “Baiya Vaccine”, Chulalongkorn University researchers have been developing COVID-19 vaccines including ChulaCov19, an mRNA vaccine which conducted its first phase of clinical trial in June. Meanwhile, Thailand reported 22,086 new COVID-19 cases and 217 fatalities over the last 24 hours, taking the tally of infections to 885,275 and 7,343 deaths to date. In a statement, Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said there are 210, 376 patients remain hospitalised including 5,590 in critical condition and 1,151 depending on ventilators. It said the fatalities involved 130 were men and 87 women aged between 20 and 94 years old including 13 foreigners – 10 Myanmar nationals, two Cambodians and one Swiss. “A total of 18 people died at home – 17 in Bangkok and one in Suphan Buri,” it said. -- BERNAMA