Indonesia Steps Into Global Spotlight with Clinical Trial of New TB Vaccine Backed by Gates Foundation
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id – Indonesia plays a pivotal role in the global push to eliminate tuberculosis as it joins a large-scale international clinical trial for a new vaccine, M72, developed by pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The trial, already in its third and final phase, has been declared safe and is now focused on evaluating the vaccine’s effectiveness.
Speaking at a public discussion in Jakarta on Saturday, Head of the Presidential Communication Office Hasan Nasbi emphasized that the tuberculosis vaccine currently undergoing trials in Indonesia is no longer in the experimental stage.
“This is not an experiment. The Health Minister has confirmed that it’s in Phase 3 of the clinical trials, which means it has passed the preclinical, Phase 1, and Phase 2 stages. It is already proven safe,” Hasan said at the event organized by the youth group Milennial Movement for the Homeland at Agreya Coffee in Jakarta.
The vaccine candidate, M72/AS01E, is being trialed in five high-burden countries—Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi—each selected due to the prevalence of TB. Globally, over 20,000 people are participating in the trial, with 2,095 of them based in Indonesia.
Tuberculosis, a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. Indonesia ranks second globally in TB incidence, with over one million new cases annually and around 130,000 deaths—a rate equivalent to 15 people dying every hour.
Hasan stressed that the goal of the current clinical phase is to measure the vaccine's effectiveness in treating patients with TB. “This trial is not about safety anymore. It’s about determining how many people recover after receiving the vaccine,” he said.
He also noted that participants in the trial had been thoroughly briefed and voluntarily agreed to take part, dismissing concerns that members of the general public were being unknowingly subjected to the trial. “These are individuals who knowingly agreed to be part of the trial because they are already sick and want to see if the vaccine works. The safety phase is already behind us,” Hasan stated.
Indonesia’s involvement in this trial is part of a broader national strategy to eliminate TB by 2030 and develop domestic vaccine production capabilities. “If this vaccine proves successful and gains approval, Indonesia will have production priority. This is aligned with our goal of becoming a developed country,” Hasan added.
The clinical trial is monitored under rigorous international and national standards, with oversight from institutions such as the World Health Organization, Indonesia’s Ministry of Health, hospitals, and academic institutions. “This process is being closely supervised by the WHO and many other organizations to ensure proper standards,” he said.
Medical experts including pulmonologist and TB researcher from University of Indonesia, Erlina Burhan, have also taken to public platforms to explain the significance of the vaccine. She noted that while the current BCG vaccine has been in use for over a century, it offers limited protection beyond childhood. “BCG is mainly effective in children. As we grow older, its protection wanes, leaving teenagers and adults vulnerable,” she explained via a public thread on X, formerly Twitter.
Developed over 26 years, M72 has undergone a stringent multi-phase testing process—first on animals, then on healthy individuals in small and large groups, and now on thousands of people across countries with the highest TB burden. The trial’s safety is jointly monitored by Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority and hospital ethics committees.
“This is not just a study,” Erlina concluded. “This is about saving lives, giving future generations a better chance at a TB-free life. And Indonesia is not just a participant—we are a vital contributor to this global scientific effort.”
