Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute (NVI) at Chulalongkorn University today began testing a trial vaccine against the novel coronavirus on non-human primates after positive trials in mice, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, spokesman for the government’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
The Thai vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA) which prompts body cells to produce antigens, molecules on the surface of viruses, that spur the immune system into action.1
NVI director Dr. Nakorn Premsri noted that if animal testing phase shows convincing results by stimulating the creation of antibodies, the vaccine will move to multi-phase human trials in progressively larger cohorts.2
The NVI is reportedly preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese partners to test a COVID-19 vaccine in Thailand. The Thai
government plans to include a technology transfer aspect to the agreement so that Thailand also can be a producer of the vaccines.3
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1. Thailand begins coronavirus vaccine trials on monkeys Reuters
2. Thai National Vaccines Institute tests COVID-19 vaccine in animals XinhuaNet
3. A new direction for China biopharma Bangkok Post
