In a landmark achievement for Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical and biotech industries, the country’s first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, Bangavax, has officially received a United States patent, the first such recognition for any Bangladeshi pharmaceutical product.
Developed by Globe Biotech, the vaccine not only symbolises a major leap in homegrown innovation but also positions Bangladesh on the global biotech map, with Bangavax touted as the world’s only single-dose vaccine effective against all COVID-19 variants.
Powered by advanced mRNA technology, the breakthrough also paves the way for future innovations in treating complex diseases such as diabetes and cancer, while reinforcing the nation’s readiness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its upcoming graduation from LDC status.
The Globe Biotech Limited, a concern of Globe Pharmaceutical Group of Companies Ltd, revealed the achievement at a press conference held in Dhaka’s Tejgaon on Sunday.
This is the first such achievement in the pharmaceutical industry of the country’s 54 years of independence, Globe Biotech scientist said in a statement.
The statement noted that Bangavax offers similar, if not stronger, advantages compared to other mRNA vaccines like Pfizer’s.
A US patent grants the inventor the exclusive right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing their invention for a limited period, typically 20 years. The inventors can enjoy exclusive rights to export only to the US.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Globe Biotech researchers Dr Kakon Nag and Dr Nazneen Sultana initiated research to meet the country’s urgent needs.
Their work led to the development of the COVID-19 detection kits, vaccines and treatment options, the company officials claimed in the press conference.
The company emphasised that the achievement holds strategic importance for Bangladesh’s advancement in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With this patent, the country will be able to produce safe and cost-effective vaccines domestically, ensuring national health security while also enabling a large-scale export.
This could not only boost Bangladesh’s global reputation but also earn significant foreign exchange to help the country’s overall development.
Furthermore, the breakthrough is expected to play a crucial role in addressing the challenges Bangladesh will face as its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2026. The vaccine was initially called Bancovid and on 23 November 2021, Globe Biotech received ethical authorisation from the Bangladesh Medical Research Council to conduct the first human trial.
Globe Biotech took all the necessary steps from December 2020 to January 2021 to get the permission for ethical approval to conduct the first clinical trial of Bangavax.
Without any explanation, the Bangladesh government has been criticised for not approving the vaccine even after months of its first clinical trial.
After five months of delays, the Bangladesh Medical Research Council conditionally grants ethical permission.
Before proceeding to human trials, they have to apply the vaccine on monkeys or chimpanzees before proceeding to human trials.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
