Nearly VND 20 billion sponsored by Vingroup for research projects on response to novel coronavirus

Vingroup Big Data Institute (VINBDI) signed the sponsorship agreement for three research projects to respond quickly to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The program aims to promote emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease, provide information to support early warning for care, treatment and protection of public health.

HANOI, Vietnam, Feb. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 3 units funded by Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF) include The Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech), Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City and Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

In particular, The Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech) will be funded VND 8 billion for the project: "Developing vaccines against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19 on growing medium of Baculoviruses at laboratory scale" led by Dr. Do Tuan Dat.

Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City will receive a grant of nearly VND 7.5 billion for the project "Research on epidemiological characteristics and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Vietnam" led by Assoc. Prof. Phan Trong Lan.

Finally, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health will be sponsored VND 4 billion for the project "Development of a national early warning system for the global Covid-19 epidemic outbreak to assess risk of infection and develop an emergency response plan" led by Assoc. Prof. Le Thi Huong.

All funding will be used by these organizations for conducting research and producing test kits for disease diagnosis; researching treatment regimens; research and manufacture of vaccines; research on the epidemiological characteristics, viral characteristics, transmission ability - the transmission mode of the disease to give appropriate warnings, etc.

Specifically, The Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 is expected to produce 1,000 doses of novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine and work on technological process of producing coronavirus vaccine on baculovirus media at laboratory scale.

Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health will develop a statistical model for disease analysis, a disease forecast tool and estimate of necessary resources. Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City will study epidemiological characteristics, infection process, virus characteristics, serum response in infected people and response to the novel coronavirus epidemic in the North, the South, the Central and the Central Highlands of Vietnam; in addition to working on a model to forecast the situation and a solution to prevent epidemics.

2 of the three research projects mentioned above are directly evaluated, selected and then accepted and managed by the Scientific Council of Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF). The other topic is funded by VINIF based on its cooperation with the Office of State-Level Key Programs, Ministry of Science and Technology. This project is reviewed, accepted and managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

To be eligible for the sponsorship, the project must satisfy the requirements as required from documentation, defense and review by the Scientific Council including leading scientists in the field of biotechnology, preventive medicine, epidemiological hygiene and treatment of infectious diseases at home and abroad.

Speaking at the event, Ph.D Phan Thi Ha Duong (Managing Director, Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF) - Vingroup Big Data Institute (VINBDI)) said: "Aiming to promote scientific and technological research in Vietnam, in the context of complicated and endemic disease situation, we look forward to empowering scientists in research on disease prevention and control which will be very effective with the cooperation of the State. Despite being urgent, the selected projects have been reviewed strictly by the National Council or the Science Council of the Foundation. We hope that Vietnam will make scientific contributions and will succeed in this challenge to control the novel coronavirus."

This agreement makes Vingroup become the first private enterprise to join hands with the State in controlling the disease and protecting public health. A

t the same time, it is an independent sponsor for urgent scientific projects to meet social needs in disease prevention and control.

Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF) - Vingroup Big Data Institute (VINBDI) – is led by Prof. Vu Ha Van as the Scientific Director. The Foundation was established to assist organizations and individuals to conduct scientific and technological research and innovation in order to create positive and sustainable changes for Vietnam.

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