Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 17) — A team developing a COVID-19 vaccine administered orally may score funding straight from the government, the Palace said Thursday.
“Sa ngayon po, ang matutulong ng gobyerno — ang DOST, Father (Nicanor) Austriaco, I’m sure you know already, can fund a clinical trial for the oral vaccine that you have,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during his virtual briefing.
“We can even fund it using government money and the clinical studies would be conducted by leading universities,” he added.
Austriaco, an OCTA Research fellow and a molecular biologist, said they’re currently forming a scientific team at the University of Santo Tomas to perform the animal studies needed to apply for permission to conduct clinical trials for the human probiotic yeast-based vaccine.
While his group in the United States conducted research and development on the vaccine, Austriaco clarified they did not use any funding from the US National Institutes of Health and utilized private funds instead.
“I’m in conversations with UST to begin the process of patenting the oral vaccine here in the Philippines,” he added.
The OCTA Research fellow also shared that the vaccine is intended for the poor and they want to “make it as cheap as possible.”
Roque mentioned that a reward awaits Austriaco and his team should the vaccine they’re developing be proven to be effective and safe, in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise last year.
The chief executive in April 2020 offered a ₱10 million reward for any Filipino who can come up with a vaccine against the highly contagious disease.
