‘Why isn’t govt allowing trial of Bangavax?’

GM Quader. File photo

Jatiya Party Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition GM Quader yesterday said people of the country want to know why the government is yet to give permission for carrying out trial of Bangavax.

In a statement, GM Quader said four months have passed since the authorities concerned applied to Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) for carrying out ethical trial of the Bangladesh-developed Covid-19 vaccine.

"But the government did not give it the permission for unknown reasons. People want to know what is the reason and for whose interest that is," Quader also said.

Quader said in addition to importing foreign vaccines to prevent Covid-19, the government should provide support for success of the vaccine developed at home.

The JP chairman said World Health Organization has listed Bangavax for corona prevention.

On December 28, last year, the Department of Drug Administration gave permission to Globe Biotech to produce a vaccine for the Bangavax trial. But without getting permission from BMRC, the country is not getting success in producing the home made vaccine.

Citing researchers, Quader said that a single dose of effective antibody was found in the animal trial of the vaccine. Researchers expect similar results in clinical trials. The one-dose vaccine is synthetically made and is virus free and 100 percent halal.

Therefore, besides importing foreign vaccines, the government should also help in the production of Bangavax.

If Bangavax succeeds in the clinical trial, it will be possible to export abroad by meeting the demand of the country, he also said.

The Clinical Research Organization on January 17 has asked for permission to launch a clinical trial of Covid-19 vaccine Bangavax, developed by Globe Biotech Ltd of Bangladesh.

The organisation, in an application submitted to BMRC, sought to hold first and second phase clinical trials, said chief investigator of the trial Prof Mamun Al Mahtab. Globe Biotech got permission on January 6 from the Directorate General of Drug Administration to manufacture the doses needed in a clinical trial.

On October 5 last year, Globe announced that its first vaccine candidate had shown promises in pre-clinical trials on mice. Researchers initially named it Bancovid and later renamed it as Bangavax.