The World Opinion

Tag: Thailand

  • A Thai start-up is operating on a Covid vaccine — the use of tobacco leaves

    Thailand’s Baiya Phytopharm desires to increase the rustic’s first plant-based Covid vaccine.

    The beginning-up, based via Dr. Suthira Taychakhoonavudh and Dr. Waranyoo Phoolcharoen in 2018, has been operating on a vaccine the use of the leaves of an Australian tobacco plant.

    Suthira, a 37-year-old lecturer at Chulalongkorn College, instructed CNBC’s “Managing Asia” that she and her group of scientists wish to “make a distinction” in converting Thailand from a vaccine importer to a vaccine maker.

    Baiya is the primary Thai corporate to go into the college’s CU Innovation Hub, a analysis heart for start-ups, to increase era to fabricate recombinant proteins that may produce medications and vaccines.

    The 3-year-old start-up is funded via grants from the Chulalongkorn College Alumni and the Thai govt. It additionally has raised some $3 million from a crowdfunding workout.

    The corporate finished section one human trials of its plant-based Covid vaccine in December final yr. No plant-based Covid vaccines exist anyplace, despite the fact that no less than one different but even so Baiya’s is in construction.

    “To this point, what we all know is that … the entire volunteers are protected. And having a look on the protection profile, we’re more than pleased with it,” stated Suthira.

    She added that it is nonetheless too early to determine its efficacy charge, however the function is to make use of to be had vaccines as a benchmark.

    The pharmaceutical corporate says it expects section two trials to start out in February and section 3 trials in June. It hopes to post knowledge to the Thai Meals and Drug Management for approval of the vaccine via the 3rd or fourth quarter of this yr. 

    The corporate stated it could possibly temporarily build up its manufacturing capability if the vaccine is authorized.

    “Recently, our amenities can produce round 5 million dose of vaccines monthly, which is round 60 million doses of vaccine according to yr,” stated Suthira. 

    She added that the similar manufacturing amenities will have the ability to produce vaccines no longer only for Thailand but in addition for the area.

    Baiya desires to exhibit that Thailand can “invent new vaccines and new medication to take on its personal public well being problems,” she stated. The corporate is the use of the similar tobacco plant to increase anti-cancer medication and anti-aging remedies.

    As a start-up, Baiya remains to be no longer being profitable, however Suthira stated the function isn’t to maximise earnings however to construct a reputable analysis trade in Thailand that may draw in skill from the following technology.

    “And we wish to make pharmaceutical merchandise that we produce to be an inexpensive product,” no longer only for Thai other folks however for others who lack get right of entry to to medication, Suthira stated.

  • Puppy pig’s demise activates African swine fever probe in Thailand

    Thailand’s cattle government vowed to research the demise of a puppy pig after a college lab check indicated it died from African swine fever, the primary such record within the nation.

    Thailand has for years insisted its pig herds remained unaffected through African swine fever, which over contemporary years has swept thru Europe and Asia and killed loads of tens of millions of pigs, specifically in China, whilst its Southeast Asian neighbours reported outbreaks.

    A miniature puppy pig in Bangkok was once discovered to have died from the illness after it was once introduced in through its proprietor for a lab check that was once finished in early December at Kasetsart College, stated Nattavut Ratanavanichrojn, affiliate dean on the college’s School of Veterinary Drugs in Nakhon Pathom province, west of Bangkok.

    “African swine fever has been present in Thailand, as a result of we discovered it,” Nattavut instructed Reuters overdue on Friday, including that the college had despatched the pig’s post-mortem end result to Thailand’s Division of Cattle Building remaining month. He added that the landlord had two different miniature pigs in the similar family that still died later.

    The college’s discovery follows emerging hypothesis that an African swine fever outbreak is already decimating Thai pig herds, with pig costs surging as a result of decrease pig provide this 12 months. Thai government have many times denied an African swine fever outbreak and prior to now attributed maximum farm pig deaths to some other viral illness referred to as porcine reproductive and respiration syndrome (PRRS).

    Chaiwat Yothakol, deputy director-general of the Division of Cattle Building, stated overdue on Friday that “the dept will examine whether or not the pig was once in reality inflamed with the illness.”

    “As of now we’ve got no longer discovered the illness right here,” he stated.

    African swine fever is innocuous to people however deadly to pigs, and there is not any vaccine to protect towards the virus. Thailand suspended exports of reside pigs beginning on Thursday till April 5 to shore up home provides. Government estimated Thailand may have simply 13 million pigs this 12 months, fewer than the nineteen million it generally produces.

    Farmgate pig costs in Thailand had been quoted at round 105 baht ($3.12) in keeping with kg remaining week, 30% upper than costs from the similar length a 12 months in the past, information from the Swine Raisers Affiliation of Thailand confirmed. Costs of beef in Bangkok had been noticed this week at round 182.50 baht in keeping with kg, just about 29% upper than in January 2021, in line with Thai trade ministry information.