BIO FARMA ROLLS OUT PENTAVALENT VACCINE TO ALL PROVINCES

Jakarta, 17 Safar 1436/10 December 2014 (MINA) – (MINA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Health introduced Bio Farma’s Pentavalent vaccine into the immunization program in 2013, and in 2014 rolled the vaccine out across the 33 provinces of the vast archipelago.

Rahman Rustan, Corporate Secretary of Bio Farma told reporters, Wednesday, administered to infants 2 months to 1 year old, the vaccine protects against five infectious diseases, including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B (HB) and Haemophilus Influenzae type B (HIB).

According to Rahman, the Pentavalent vaccine is the result of extensive vaccine development since 2007, involving five antigens namely Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B (DPT-HB) and Haemophilus Influenzae type B vaccines.

The combination of the five antigens is possible due to a similar immunization schedule for the five antigens given to infants 2, 3 and 4 months of age. Consequently, the infants will be given Pentavalent shots at these 3 intervals each containing the five antigens.

Rustan suggested Pentavalent vaccine would undoubtedly increase affordability. Besides reducing the frequency of injections given to infants, Pentavalent vaccine is more efficient and eco-friendly. “Pentavalent vaccine is expected to reduce the number of needles required for administration as well as the cold storage required, not to mention it is environmentally-friendly through reducing waste.”

Dr. Novilia S. Bachtiar, Clinical Trial and Surveillance Senior Manager of Bio Farma, added that clinical trials for the Pentavalent vaccine have been conducted since 2010, and the vaccine has successfully passed a Phase III clinical trial. The trial was conducted in collaboration with Hasan Sadikin Hospital / Medical Faculty of Pajajaran University and Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital / Medical Faculty of University of Indonesia.

Pentavalent vaccine has been registered with the National Agency for Drug & Food Control (NADFC), and approved accordingly. “In 2013, Pentavalent vaccine was supplied to four provinces, including West Java, Bali, NTB and Yogyakarta, while in 2014 to all 33 provinces of Indonesia,” said Dr. Bachtiar.

Bio Farma predicted that demand for Pentavalent vaccine in Indonesia will reach 15 million doses per year. This prediction is based on the average birth cohort in Indonesia of 5 million a year. Beside fulfillment of domestic demand, Bio Farma also plans to export Pentavalent to other countries, after the vaccine has acquired WHO prequalification, anticipated by early 2015.

A Rotavirus vaccine (vaccine for diarrhoeal infection) clinical trial is currently being conducted (phase IIB trial), since January 2013, in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gadjah Mada, involving approximately 1600 infants in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Bio Farma itself is the sole vaccine and immunosera producer for humans in Indonesia. Currently, the need for Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) vaccines in Indonesia is supplied solely by Bio Farma, having manufactured and distributed more than 1.8 billion doses of vaccines per year for the national immunization program.
Bio Farma has an outstanding international reputation based on the WHO prequalification for all of its EPI and vaccine products. Bio Farma products are exported to countries around the world through direct distribution or through various agencies such as UNICEF. (T/P3/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)