Having developed bird flue vaccine, researchers from Airlangga University in Surabaya, Central Java, are now ready to develop a vaccine for swine flu.
“Developing the vaccine for the H1N1 virus is very feasible since we already have the experience in developing the vaccine for bird flu,” Airlangga University’s deputy rector Soetjipto was quoted by Antara news agency as saying on Monday.
“In addition, developing the vaccine for swine flu is easier than developing one for bird flu. The virus is not as vicious as the bird flu virus,” he added.
He noted that the university would start developing the swine flue only when it got an order from the government.
The university, together with state pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma, has been working on bird flu vaccine following a request from Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari.
“The development is almost 100 percent complete. (The vaccine) can be produced starting this year,” he said.
Earlier this year, the university inaugurated a Rp 120 billion (US$11.6 million) special laboratory for virus research with funding from the Indonesia and Japan governments.
(www.thejakartapost.com/news)
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