Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccine from tobacco leaves effectively stimulates immunity in animals

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Chulalongkorn University and BaiyaPhytopharm Co developed the factory with a 160-million-baht budget from the National Vaccine Institute to produce a COVID-19 vaccine from tobacco leaves.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister AnutinCharnvirakul inspected the country’s new factory to produce a protein subunit vaccine for COVID-19.

The new factory was developed on the 11th floor that covers 1,200 square meters of Chulapat 14 building. Chulalongkorn University and BaiyaPhytopharm Co developed it with a 160-million-baht budget from the National Vaccine Institute to produce a COVID-19 vaccine from tobacco leaves.



MrAnutin said the development of the new vaccine started in February and it effectively stimulated immunity in its trials on mice and monkeys.

The new plant was constructed over the past eight months and would be the first local factory to produce vaccines from plants. The Food and Drug Administration certified its standard and the factory was ready to start its vaccine production, he said.


The first-phase human trials of the new vaccine would start early next month with about 100 people. If the project is successful, the production of the locally developed vaccine should begin in the third quarter of next year with the production capacity of 1-5 million doses per month or up to 60 million doses a year, MrAnutin said. (TNA)

MrAnutin said the development of the new vaccine started in February and it effectively stimulated immunity in its trials on mice and monkeys.



The new plant was constructed over the past eight months and would be the first local factory to produce vaccines from plants while the Food and Drug Administration has certified its standard and the factory was ready to start its vaccine production, MrAnutin said.