Pentabio Vaccine To Enter Export Market

Bandung, W. Java, Dec 31 (Antara) - The Pentabio vaccine produced by Bio Farma will soon enter the export market as it has cleared the prequalification (PQ) process of the World Health Organization (WHO). "Pentabio vaccine has been certified by the WHO. It will soon be exported across the world," Executive Director of Bio Farma Iskandar stated here on Wednesday. He remarked that the certification, which was issued on December 16, 2014, was an achievement for the Indonesian vaccine manufacturing company to meet the vaccine requirements of the internal community. Pentabio is a pentavalent vaccine that offers protection against five childhood diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenza type B. The vaccine has increased the portfolio of Bio Farma`s vaccines that can be procured by WHO, UNICEF (The United Nations Children`s Fund), PAHO (The Pan American Health Organization), and other countries. "Although the vaccine can be exported, we have to prioritize domestic needs," Iskandar said, adding that Bio Farma`s 13 vaccines are listed with the WHO as these products have met the international quality and tender specification requirements. Iskandar explained that the PQ process is based on the review product summary file, evaluation of the final product characterization consistency, audit of the production facilities, and the follow-up steps recommended by the WHO reviewers during the evaluation process. Bio Farma`s vaccines that have passed the WHO`s PQ assessment since 1997 are OVP Measles (1997), DTP, DT, TT (2001), TT Uniject (2003), HapB Uniject (2004), DTPHapB Measles (2006), mOPV 1,3 (2010), Td (2011), and Pentabio (2014).