Baiya Phytopharm was born out of the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences and the CU Innovation Hub at Chulalongkorn University. It was founded in 2018 by Dr Waranyoo Phoolcharoen, a researcher in plant-produced protein systems, and Dr Suthira Taychakhoonavudh, a health economics expert. Baiya has received the backing of the BOI as an innovative, research-driven biotech venture, and has been making headlines for its cutting-edge innovations during the pandemic.

“People know us because of our COVID products, but we have also been producing proteins for treatments of different diseases, and for other industries, including cosmeceuticals for skin care,” points out Dr Taychakhoonavudh.

Baiya’s overarching aim is to produce lower-cost medicines for Thais and people across Southeast Asia, says Dr Taychakhoonavudh. “And our company’s work is aligned with Thailand 4.0, the government’s push to an innovative and value-based economy.”

Using their plant-based development platform, Baiya created one of the world’s first COVID-19 antibody tests in March 2020, carrying out a successful screening pilot project of 30,000 people in a local area with a high incidence of cases.

The company’s researchers are currently developing a COVID-19 vaccine utilising the plant-based platform, explains Dr Phoolcharoen. The process involves inserting genes into a type of fast-growing tobacco plant, which then produces the required proteins, which are extracted, purified and used for the vaccine. The planned vaccine works by stimulating the body’s immune system to make antibodies that fight the virus.

“Because it is a plant-based platform, there is less waste compared to other methods, which is in line with BCG aims,” notes Dr Phoolcharoen.

“This kind of platform was also used to develop vaccines against Ebola and influenza. This is an opportunity to prove our platform works and could be used against a COVID-21, 22 or some other disease that emerges,” says Dr Phoolcharoen.