Bangkok--15 Jan--Image Impact
BioNet-Asia Co., Ltd. today opened the first Thai private R&D Center and vaccine pilot plant dedicated to the development of bacterial vaccines in Thailand, located in the Hi-Tech Industrial Estate of Ayudhaya. The opening ceremony was presided over by Dr. Jean Petre, an eminent vaccine expert, internationally recognized for his work in pediatric vaccines, and attended by both industry-related guests and media.
“Our company has had many years of experience in the vaccine business, and, therefore, we recently embarked in the development of innovative vaccines. The opening of our R&D centre shows our commitment to bridge the huge vaccine gap between industrialized and developing worlds by delivering new and affordable vaccines to emerging countries,” revealed Mr. Vitoon Vonghangool, Managing Director of BioNet-Asia Co., Ltd.
BioNet’s facilities are situated on 17 rai of land, and have been designed and built in compliance with the International and WHO’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standard. The R&D Center occupies an area of 2,000 square meters, comprising of quality-control laboratories and the Bio Safety Level 2+ development lab, equipped with fermentation and purification units.
Dr. Pham Hong Thai, Joint-Managing Director of BioNet-Asia said, “We have already invested Baht 300 million for the first phase of this project, and were granted the Thai Board of Investment certificate last month. Our R&D Centre will soon start with the development of a new Acellular Pertussis Vaccine using the recombinant strain issued from the research collaboration between BioNet and Mahidol University, one of the most prestigious universities in Thailand.”
Acellular Pertussis Vaccines are now routinely and successfully used to prevent whooping cough disease, in Western Europe, North America, Japan and Korea but not in the emerging countries because of the high cost.
Assoc. Prof. Chuenchit Boonchird, Head of the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences at Mahidol University explained; “The collaborative research project is composed of three parts: the strain construction, the cultivation, and the toxin purification, which are carried out by our scientists at Mahidol University. By using recombinant DNA techniques, the new recombinant Bordetella pertussis strain for antigen production, was constructed. The strain was cultivated using improved cultivation conditions and medium compositions. Antigens were then identified and purified from culture broth using chromatography techniques”.
Dr. Jean Petre, Chairman of the Opening Ceremony commented, “The advantages of the recombinant pertussis strain producing very high yields of inactivated pertussis toxins will make the recombinant Acellular Pertussis vaccine affordable to developing countries. This will, indeed, be the first time that developing countries will have access to an innovative and affordable vaccine before the industrialized world.”
“We hope that through this fruitful collaboration, we have paved the way for more public private partnerships (PPP) in the research and development of new vaccines with Thai and foreign vaccine-related organizations. Finally, we also believe this project will help stimulate growth of future vaccine developers in our region,” concluded Mr. Vitoon.
Photo caption:
Mr. Jean Petre (center), internationally-recognized pediatric vaccine expert, presided over the grand opening of BioNet-Asia Co., Ltd.’s R&D Center and first privately-owned vaccine pilot plant in Thailand today at Hi-Tech Industrial Estate in Ayudhaya, while Mr. Vitoon Vonghangool (left), BioNet-Asia’s Managing Director, and Dr. Pham Hong Thai (right), Joint Managing Director, witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
For further information, please contact:
BioNet-Asia Co., Ltd. Tel: +66 (0) 2673 9137-42
Supaporn Sermsitthisin
E-mail: [email protected]
or
Image Impact Ltd. Tel: +66 (0) 2357 1180 — 3
Chutinun Guna-Tilaka Ext. 108
E-mail: [email protected]