Overview
Administration
CU Symbols
GREEN UNIVERSITY
CONTACT
Programs
Admissions
Exchange Student
Academic Units
Life at CU
Academic Services
Medical Services
Quality Assurance Services
Information Services
Creative Space
CU News
23 August 2021
Research & Innovation
August 16, 2021 – Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, and the Vaccine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (CVRC) held a press conference on the progress of clinical trials for the Thai “ChulaCov19” mRNA vaccine. The clinical trial (Phase 1) was administered in healthy volunteers who are found to have good immunity after they have been vaccinated. The volunteers’ antibodies have been greatly boosted to prevent the original strain of the virus, and four other variants, namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Manufacturing and preparation for registration to be used in an emergency are underway.
Professor Suttipong Wacharasindhu, M.D., Director of Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University explained that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University have assured the public that its facilities, personnel, and state-of-the-art technology can be used efficiently in the screening and treatment for members of the public. Also, CVRC, the medical research institution that prides itself in the collaborative efforts of medical researchers and scientists who have worked on developing vaccines to serve the needs of the people both at the national and international levels, has started the first phase of the clinical trial for ChulaCov19 vaccine on a number of volunteers on June 14, 2021, under close supervision of a team of highly qualified medical practitioners. The first batch of volunteers was found to have an excellent level of antibodies and are safe.
“It is gratifying that the development of ChulaCov19 vaccine is advancing as planned and gaining the public’s confidence in the safety of the testing process. We have to thank the Ministry of Health, the National Vaccine Institute, CVRC, various government, private and public agencies, and medical researchers and scientists both nationally and globally for their cooperation that made the ChulaCov19 vaccine development a success and ready to be tested in volunteers in the next phase. This will bring tremendous benefits and fame to Thailand on the international stage.
Professor Kiat Ruxrungtham, M.D., Director of CVRC added that the development of the ChulaCov 19 vaccine was made possible with the support from the government, private and public sectors such as the National Vaccine Institute, the National Research Council of Thailand, Chulalongkorn University’s Second Century Fund, and donations from the Faculty of Medicine Alumni Association’s Vaccine Research Fund, the Red Cross Society of Thailand.
ChulaCov19 vaccine was designed and developed by a team of Thai researchers working collaboratively with Pennsylvania University’s Professor Drew Weissman, a physician-scientist who shares similar determination in making the mRNA vaccine technology more accessible to people especially in countries with moderate and low incomes.
ChulaCov19 vaccine creates tiny particles of the Corona Virus’ genetic material mRNA (without using the virus itself) to signal the body to make spike protein to enter host cells and boost them to build immunity to combat the virus once people come in contact with it. After this mRNA has performed its role of enabling the body to develop the protein within six days, the mRNA will disintegrate and not leave any build-up in the body whatsoever.
Prior to this, the CVRC had been successful in its trial on monkeys and mice where the vaccine was found to prevent the virus from entering the bloodstream and increased the level of immunity significantly. This led to the manufacturing and clinical trials in the first phase starting on June 14, 2021, for 72 volunteers from two age groups: 36 volunteers aged 18-55 years, and 36 volunteers aged 65-75.
Both groups were divided into sub-groups, each with a different dosage of 10, 25, and 50 micrograms. This is to determine the dosage at which the ChulaCov19 shows the greatest efficacy since at present, Moderna’s dosage is 100 micrograms while Pfizer is 30 micrograms. The CVRC will need to find out whether the dosage for Thais or Asians should be 10, 25, or 50 micrograms to ensure safety while increasing immunity levels. The second-phase trial is expected to be administered to 150-300 persons starting in August 2021.
The good news from Phase 1 clinical trial is that the subjects, after having received the second injection for seven days, showed mild to moderate side effects, localized pain in the injected arm, fatigue, fever, and chills, but the symptoms improved within one to three days on average. Also, it was found that ChulaCov19 could boost high antibodies immunity against the original strain of the virus.
In addition, the vaccine can inhibit all four mutated strains: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta by more than 80%, while boosting T-cell immunity which helps to eliminate and control the pathogen in the cells of infected people as well.
Other outstanding qualities of the ChulaCov19 vaccine
The challenge for Thais should we want at least one of the four vaccines currently being researched and developed, including the ChulaCov19 mRNA vaccine, is to be registered and widely available before the next Thai New Year – April 2022. Thailand must have clear goals in the following four areas and must earnestly move them forward at the same time:
Chulalongkorn University and Philippine Embassy Unite to Pioneer Landmark Academic and Cultural Collaboration
Chula Holds Presidential Appointment Ceremony for Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat as the New University President
Chula President Receives Royal Commemorative Pin at the “Friends in Need (of PA) 2024” Event
Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts Launches “Next-Gen Arts: Empowering Art Teachers with Soft Power”
Chula Clinches HR Innovation Award as First State-Supervised University Recognized at Organizational Level
Happy New Year 2025: Chula Invites You to Spread the Joy with Online New Year Cards
Chula’s encouragement and support for research is excellent for teachers, students, and the public. Associate Professor Dr. Suchana Chavanich Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University
Chula’s encouragement and support for research is excellent for teachers, students, and the public.
Associate Professor Dr. Suchana Chavanich Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University
This website uses cookies to personalize content, provide the best user experience, and improve Chula website services.
ท่านสามารถเลือกการตั้งค่าคุกกี้โดยเปิด/ปิด คุกกี้ในแต่ละประเภทได้ตามความต้องการ ยกเว้น คุกกี้ที่จำเป็น
ประเภทของคุกกี้ที่มีความจำเป็นสำหรับการทำงานของเว็บไซต์ เพื่อให้คุณสามารถใช้เว็บไซต์ได้อย่างเป็นปกติ ท่านไม่สามารถปิดการทำงานของคุกกี้นี้ในระบบเว็บไซต์ของเราได้
คุกกี้ประเภทนี้จะทำการเก็บข้อมูลพฤติกรรมการใช้งานเว็บไซต์ของคุณ โดยมีจุดประสงค์คือนำข้อมูลมาวิเคราะห์เพื่อปรับปรุงและพัฒนาเว็บไซต์ให้มีคุณภาพ และสร้างประสบการณ์ที่ดีกับผู้ใช้งาน เพื่อให้เกิดประโยชน์สูงสุด หากท่านไม่ยินยอมให้เราใช้คุกกี้นี้ เราอาจไม่สามารถวัดผลเพื่อการปรับปรุงและพัฒนาเว็บไซต์ให้ดีขึ้นได้ Cookies Details