Hospital chases vaccine for booster shots

>>Thammasat University Hospital (TUH) has decided to join a third-phase trial of a protein-based Covid-19 vaccine with a plan to import it for use as a booster shot early next year.

The announcement was made by Prof Surapon Nitikraipot, chairman of the TUH executive committee, on his Facebook page as he updated the university’s plan to procure Covid-19 vaccines, medicines and other medical equipment to fight the pandemic.

The university council decided in August to invoke a regulation to allow it to source vaccines and medical equipment during a public health emergency.

Prof Surapon said negotiations with the vaccine manufacturer, based in western Europe, began in late August and the university had since decided to take part in the trial. He said the vaccine candidate, which is not Novavax, is expected to be registered with the World Health Organisation this year.

Once approved, the university will join hands with a company to procure the vaccine for use as an alternative vaccine, he said. The vaccine will be offered to people who want to get their booster shot early next year.

The hospital has also joined hands with an India-based drug manufacturer of a generic version of Molnupilavir to conduct a clinical trial of the anti-viral drug at the hospital.

For the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, he said the university signed agreements with two private hospitals last month to import seven million doses of mRNA vaccines for distribution via a network of privately run hospitals.

The university is expected to receive a donation of several hundred thousand doses to administer free of charge, he said.