Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the money has been allocated to the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) which, in turn, has provided funding to support research by state and private organizations, including BioNet-Asia, to develop and manufacture DNA vaccines, and the National Science and Technology Development Agency to develop prototype vaccines for clinical trials.
According to Mr. Anucha, Baiya Phytopharm Co has also been provided with funding to conduct tests on locally-made, plant-based COVID-19 vaccines.
Additionally, there is funding for the National Biopharmaceutical Facility (NBF) to prepare a COVID-19 vaccine production facility, money for the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) for vaccine packaging and support for the GPO-Merieux Biological Products Co to expand its industrial-scale vaccine production capacity.
Other organizations to receive funding are the Vaccine Research Centre, the National Primate Research Centre at Chulalongkorn University and Siam Bioscience.