Chula VRC touts development of mRNA technology

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By Praphorn Praphornkul

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - Chulalongkorn University’s Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC) has highlighted its effort to develop six technologies to aid in the fight against COVID-19, after the nation was able to administer 47 million doses of vaccine.

 

Director of Chula VRC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Development Project Dr Kiat Rakroongtham, spoke on the occasion of Mahidol Day, saying that the center has developed six technologies to bolster the fight against COVID-19.

 

Among them is a technology to do with mRNA vaccines, which has received worldwide attention after proving to be superior to other conventional technologies due to its speed and safety. He remarked that it is necessary for Thailand to conduct research and development involving mRNA vaccines, so as to remedy inequality in vaccine access and safeguard against rampant infections leading to a mutation such as that which resulted in the Delta variant.

 

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University Dr Prasit Wattanapha, at the same time explained Siam Bioscience was established to establish Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capability on October 12, 2020, when infection rates were still in single digits.

 

The organization was created in response to average global infections reaching 300,000 at the time and pending vaccines being booked by other nations. The Ministry of Public Health, Siam Bioscience, SCG and AstraZeneca joined together to ensure vaccine accessibility in Southeast Asia.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-09-27

 

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[brommers]

Hmm, do I detect a teeny bit of an attempt to burnish the reputation of the minister and the dear leader at the end of this PR exercise! Looks like someone is trying to make nice in order to garner government funding for vaccine R&D.