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The event featured Soleh Ayubi, Ph.D., Deputy President Director of Bio Farma, who emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in addressing health challenges at both the national and global levels.

In his presentation, Soleh introduced Bio Farma as a state-owned enterprise (SOE) operating in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, which has now expanded into a holding company with 16 subsidiaries and affiliated companies. One of Bio Farma’s key innovations is the production of antivenom serum, addressing the high mortality rate from snake bites in Indonesia, which is estimated to reach 5,000 cases per year.

Beyond that, Bio Farma envisions building an end-to-end healthcare ecosystem, integrating all aspects of the healthcare supply chain from upstream to downstream. The company also plays a significant role on the global stage, exporting its products to 153 countries and benefiting over 700 million children worldwide through various vaccination programs.

“Bio Farma strives to meet global WHO standards and collaborates with various international organizations, including UNICEF, GAVI, and the Islamic Development Bank, to expand vaccine access in developing countries. Beyond distribution, Bio Farma is actively engaged in pharmaceutical research and innovation, fostering synergy between industry, academia, and the government to establish a sustainable end-to-end healthcare ecosystem,” he stated.

Soleh emphasized that major challenges cannot be solved in isolation; instead, they require cross-disciplinary and international collaboration. In the pharmaceutical industry, such cooperation is essential in tackling global challenges, particularly in the development and distribution of vaccines. One notable example is the polio vaccine, which remains in demand in several countries, including the United States.

Through its partnership with UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bio Farma has distributed 300 million doses of injectable polio vaccine, with total production reaching 1 billion doses. "For oral polio vaccines, Bio Farma commands 80–90% of the global market share. Additionally, the company has played a key role in COVID-19 vaccine production through collaborations with international partners," he stated.

Soleh further emphasized that the ability to accurately define a problem is a fundamental skill that determines the effectiveness of a solution. A misstep at this stage can lead to solutions that fail to address the core issue. This principle is also applied at Bio Farma, where a data-driven approach and cross-disciplinary collaboration serve as key strategies in driving innovation within the pharmaceutical industry.

Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial not only in pharmaceutical product development but also in enhancing production efficiency. Bio Farma continues to drive digital transformation by implementing cutting-edge technological initiatives, such as machine learning, to optimize manufacturing processes. Additionally, the digitalization of quality and production control through Q100+ has the potential to generate savings of up to Rp 94 billion, while also adding value and improving overall manufacturing efficiency.

"This cross-disciplinary innovation demonstrates that the synergy between technology and the pharmaceutical industry can serve as a solution to national and global health challenges," he concluded.

Reporter: Indira Akmalia Hendri (Urban and Regional Planning, 2021)
Translator: Malika Fatima Lawe (Microbiology, 2022)