Thai GPO’s Covid-19 vaccine set for 2023 launch, targets 10 million doses annually

Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute (NVI) is making significant strides with its first domestically produced Covid-19 vaccine, HXP-GPOVac. The vaccine, currently in its third stage of clinical trials, is on track to conclude this phase by the end of the month. This development represents a crucial step forward for Thailand’s efforts to continually combat the pandemic. The vaccine’s production is overseen by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO).

The GPO aims to make the vaccine available for use as a booster shot in the early part of the upcoming year. To ensure the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, approximately 4,000 volunteers from Nakhon Phanom Hospital actively participated in the third stage of clinical trials. Each volunteer received a 10-microgram booster shot in December of the previous year.

Nakhon Premsri, the director of the National Vaccine Institute, expressed optimism about the vaccine’s progress.

“Should the test results, specifically the presence of Covid antibodies in volunteers, be satisfactory, the GPO will seek registration of the vaccine with the Food and Drug Administration by month-end.”

Upon receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the GPO plans to initiate vaccine production as a booster shot, with a target production capacity of between five to ten million doses annually. Nakhon further hinted that the public could potentially have access to the GPO’s Covid vaccine early next year, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s vaccination efforts.

Furthermore, Nakhon highlighted the vaccine’s potential for future development.

“The GPO’s vaccine holds potential for further development into a second-generation vaccine, capable of combating newer strains such as XBB in the future.”

The HXP-GPOVac vaccine’s development leveraged the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as a prototype and utilized an egg-based production process. This production method, similar to that of the influenza vaccine, has a rich history of effectiveness spanning over six decades.

It’s important to note that the first two phases of clinical trials, conducted from 2021 to 2022, indicated that the GPO vaccine can safely stimulate Covid antibodies. Consequently, the administration of Covid booster shots remains highly recommended, particularly for high-risk groups such as the elderly and individuals with chronic diseases.

Thailand’s progress in developing a homegrown vaccine is a testament to the nation’s commitment to combating the pandemic and ensuring the health and safety of its citizens.

Follow The Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page: CLICK HERE.