Thailand Ministry of Public Health, Siam Bioscience, SCG and British-Swedish biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on the manufacturing and supply of the University of Oxford’s potential COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222.

Under this LOI, all parties agree to work together to prepare large scale manufacturing capacity at Siam Bioscience to create broad, equitable and timely access to the potential vaccine in South East Asia. AstraZeneca is providing the potential vaccine at no profit during the pandemic and will work with Siam Bioscience to set up the manufacturing facilities through technology transfer.

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has endorsed manufacturing in Thailand and will be receiving AZD1222 doses for distribution along with the highest safety standards, with the aim of commencing the vaccination of the Thai population in the first half of 2021.

The LOI was signed by H.E. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Air Chief Marshal Satitpong Sukvimol, Chairman of Siam Bioscience Company Limited, Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG President and CEO in Bangkok and James Teague, Country President Thailand, AstraZeneca in virtual attendance from London, U.K.  The LOI signing was witnessed by H.E. Pisanu Suvanajata, Ambassador of Thailand to UK, H.E. Brian Davidson – the British Ambassador to Thailand, Nicolas Weeks, Chargé d’affaires a.i. Embassy of Sweden to Thailand and Jo Feng, Senior Vice President, Asia Area at AstraZeneca.

Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG President and CEO, said “SCG is delighted to help facilitate this critical technology transfer. SCG and Oxford University have been research and development partners for a long time.  This partnership has enabled acceleration of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing in Thailand and distribution of the vaccine to both Thailand and our neighbouring countries. In this regard, SCG Foundation has contributed 100 million Baht to domestic vaccine research development as well.

Through this partnership, the Government of Thailand, Siam Bioscience and SCG join AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, governments, leading health organisations such as WHO, CEPI and GAVI and manufacturers to enable global distribution of the potential vaccine as soon as possible, should the clinical trials prove to be successful and regulators approve its use.

The LOI signatories have expressed their resolve to ensure safe and responsible use of the potential vaccine. AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford are committed to the highest ethical standards and sound scientific principles, and are working with expert regulatory agencies such as the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Thai Food and Drug Administration to ensure patient safety.