Baiya Phytopharm in Thailand wants to create the first Covid vaccine that is plant-based.

This start-up was founded in 2018 by Dr. Suthira Tychakhoonavudh, and Dr. Waranyoo Phoolcharoen. It has worked on developing a vaccine that uses the leaf of an Australian tobacco plant.

Suthira is a Chulalongkorn University lecturer, aged 37. She stated that her and her team want to make Thailand a “changer” from a country that imports vaccines to a nation of vaccine makers.

Baiya, the first Thai business to join the university’s ranks CU Innovation HubA research centre for start-ups that is focused on the development of technology to create recombinant proteins capable of producing medicines and vaccines.

Funding for the three-year old start-up comes from grants provided by the Chulalongkorn University Alumni as well as the Thai government. The crowdfunding campaign has also helped raise $3 million.

Phase one of the human clinical trials of Covid’s plant-based vaccine was completed by the company in December 2013. Although no other plant-based Covid vaccines are available, at least one is currently in development. one other besides Baiya’s is in development.

“So far we have confirmed that all volunteers feel safe. Suthira stated that we were very satisfied with the safety profile.

It’s too soon to know if it is effective, she said. However, the aim is to compare available vaccines.

It expects that phase two will start in February, and phase three in June. For approval, the company expects to submit data by the Thai Food and Drug Administration in the third to fourth quarter. 

If the vaccine is approved, the company stated that it could quickly double its production.

Suthira stated that “as it stands now, our plants can produce approximately five million doses of vaccinations per month. This is roughly 60 million vaccine doses per annum.” 

The same facilities can produce vaccines for Thailand as well as the rest of the world, she said.

Baiya stated that she hopes to show Thailand “can invent new vaccines, new drugs to deal with its own health issues.” This company uses the same tobacco plant for anti-cancer and anti-aging drugs.

Baiya, a startup, isn’t making any money. However, Suthira stated that the goal was not to maximize profit but to create a reliable research industry in Thailand to attract the best talent.

Suthira stated, “And we want pharmaceutical products we make to be affordable,” and not only for Thais but also for those who don’t have access to medicines.