Bio Farma Induk Holding BUMN Pharmacy, with its subsidiaries Kimia Farma and Indofarma, in collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD (trade name Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) has launched NusaGard, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, for prevention of cervical cancer. 

The launch of the NusaGard vaccine is a follow-up to the signing of the cooperation agreement carried out by MSD and Bio Farma on December 13, 2022 in Jakarta. With the presence of a domestically produced 4-valent HPV vaccine, it is hoped that it can increase and expand the coverage of the HPV vaccine in Indonesia.

The Indonesian government continues to encourage increased access to the HPV vaccine in Indonesia by expanding the coverage of HPV immunisation through the National Immunisation Programme. The school-based National Immunisation Programme will be implemented starting in August 2023 through the School Children's Immunisation Month Programme (BIAS).

The Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Penny K. Lukito, said that the availability and access to a safe and quality HPV vaccine is very important. For this reason, BPOM is committed to continuing to assist the NusaGard vaccine production process, so that gradually the vaccine can be produced locally from upstream to downstream by Bio Farma, namely from the manufacture of the active substance (drug substance), the fill -and-finish process , to the finished product.

"The Ministry of Health continues to carry out transformations through policies from upstream to downstream, one of which is the transformation of the health security system in Indonesia to increase the resilience of the pharmaceutical sector in Indonesia. The launch of the domestically produced 4-valent HPV vaccine NusaGard is a concrete realisation of technology transfer from the global pharmaceutical company MSD which was carried out together with state-owned company Bio Farma. This is an important milestone for Indonesia, especially the health sector, and we really appreciate this strategic partnership that collaborates to support the transformation of health in Indonesia", said Deputy Minister of Health, Dante Saksono Harbuwono.