No other country in the region has made such vaccines for sale.

Food and Drug Administration secretary-general Siriwat Tiptara-dol went to Siriraj yesterday to congratulate the hospital on its success.

"This means our country's dependence on imported vaccines will be reduced," he said.

Dr Chaweewan Bunnag, who is in charge of the vaccine-development project, believed the locally-made vaccines would save the country Bt360 million a year.

"Our vaccine technology has met World Health Organisation and US Food and Drug Administration standards … our vaccines are effective in protecting patients from allergic symptoms for years, if not for life," she said.

According to Chaweewan, a vaccine injection would protect patients for up to five years. Over time, a stronger dose will be used to stimulate patients' immunity against dust mites.

Dean of the medical faculty, Prof Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, held a press conference to announce that Siriraj now had a comprehensive set of vaccines against dust-mite allergy and was planning to make the vaccines on an industrial scale.

The faculty yesterday signed an agreement on the production and distribution of vaccines with Greater Pharma Manufacturing Co.

Last year, the government spent more than Bt2.4 billion on treating allergy patients.

It is estimated there are about 18 million people with allergies across the country - and many are allergic to dust mites.