DHAKA: Bangladesh has joined the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine race with the announcement on Thursday by the producer of its Bongavax that clinical trials were due to start next month.
In late December, the country’s Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) permitted Dhaka-based Globe Biotech Ltd., the developer of Bongavax, to produce the country’s first locally made COVID-19 vaccine.
Previously called Bancovid, the vaccine has been included in the draft landscape of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
Asif Mahmud, who is in charge of Globe Biotech’s research, told Arab News: “We are expecting to go for clinical trial by next month.
Homegrown Covid Vaccine: Globe Biotech gets nod for trial Staff Correspondent Staff Correspondent
Globe Biotech has got the licence to produce its homegrown coronavirus vaccine for human trial. We received the licence on December 28, Mohiuddin, manager of quality and regulation at Globe Biotech Ltd, told The Daily Star yesterday.
A research organisation may apply for permission to the Bangladesh Medical and Research Council (BMRC) to start the first phase of clinical trials next week.
On December 1, the Globe Biotech Ltd cancelled a contract with the icddr,b and assigned Dhaka-based Clinical Research Organization to hold the trials.
On October 5, Globe Biotech announced that its first vaccine candidate had passed in the pre-clinical trial on mice.
Bangladesh s Globe Biotech is the only company, globally, to be listed with three vaccine candidates – DNA plasmid vaccine, Adenovirus Type 5 Vector and D614G variant LNP-encapsulated mRNA and other companies have one or two varieties. The candidature of the Globe Biotech vaccine has been shown on the WHO list as a DNA plasmid type vaccine at the preclinical stage.
A Nepalese company Anmol Healthcare Ltd has placed order to buy two million shots of vaccine developed by Bangladeshi company Globe Biotech Ltd after it passes trials. However, Bangladesh government is yet to announce any plan to buy local vaccine. Government has set to import some three crore doses whenever available.
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Private hospitals committing robbery in the name of Covid-19 treatment The New Nation
Staff Reporter :
Ganashathya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Saturday alleged that the private hospitals in Bangladesh are committing robbery in the name of Covid-19 treatment.
The renowned physician said that Covid-19 patients are being forced to pay excessive cost for medical treatment.
He said, the cost of 1,000 litres of oxygen is Taka 70 only but some hospitals are realising Taka 15,000-20,000 from the patients.Dr. Zafrullah said, Doctors are also taking commission forcing patients for various types of diagnostic tests.
He said patients could file cases against the hospitals under Section 420.