Kazi Zahidul Hasan and Reza Mahmud :
Local pharmaceutical giants have been involved in secret talks with top Covid-19 vaccine contenders to produce and distribute their vaccines in Bangladesh.
Sources in the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) said half a dozen Bangladeshi drug makers have already caught up in secret talk with frontrunner vaccine candidates to secure contract over supply for local market as the race for a Covid-19 vaccine is moving at full speed.
They said a deal to secure Covid-19 vaccine could help them generate big revenue when Bangladesh rankes 14th worst coronavirus-affected country in the world.
The total coronavirus cases in Bangladesh reached 321,615 on Friday. “Bangladesh is a country with 160 million people. So, the demand for vaccine is very high here and thus creates big opportunity for local pharma companies if they would be able to make a deal with any of the top ten companies that are leading the race of COVID-19 vaccine.”
Currently, CanSino Biological, Moderana, SinoVac, University of Oxford-
AstraZeneca, BioNTech, Novavax, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinophar, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences are leading the race for a vaccine product with advance trials.
“Countries around the world are in race to secure early access to a Covid-19 vaccine. We also are looking for doses from any of the leading vaccine developers for the inoculation of local people,” an industry leader told The New Nation on Friday seeking anonymity.
He said, Bangladeshi companies are in talks with top global companies to determine if the potential Covid-19 vaccine being developed by them could be marketed and manufactured locally. Domestic companies are looking for alliance and partnerships with them so that a vaccine can be made available in local market.
“We are betting high hope on Chinese and Indian companies to get a vaccine,” he added.
He mentioned that Beximco Pharma has already signed investment deal with India’s Serum Institute to supply Oxford- AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Bangladesh.
“Some other companies may be looking for similar deals to book coronavirus vaccine in advance to be sold in private pay markets,” he added.
When contacted BAPI Secretary General S M Shafiuzzaman said, “Some of our members are trying to ink deals with international vaccine producers including Russian’s. But no one agrees to disclose efforts before signing any deal as part of business secret.”
He said, within next month it will be clear that who will bring which country’s vaccine.
Local pharmaceutical giants have been involved in secret talks with top Covid-19 vaccine contenders to produce and distribute their vaccines in Bangladesh.
Sources in the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) said half a dozen Bangladeshi drug makers have already caught up in secret talk with frontrunner vaccine candidates to secure contract over supply for local market as the race for a Covid-19 vaccine is moving at full speed.
They said a deal to secure Covid-19 vaccine could help them generate big revenue when Bangladesh rankes 14th worst coronavirus-affected country in the world.
The total coronavirus cases in Bangladesh reached 321,615 on Friday. “Bangladesh is a country with 160 million people. So, the demand for vaccine is very high here and thus creates big opportunity for local pharma companies if they would be able to make a deal with any of the top ten companies that are leading the race of COVID-19 vaccine.”
Currently, CanSino Biological, Moderana, SinoVac, University of Oxford-
AstraZeneca, BioNTech, Novavax, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinophar, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences are leading the race for a vaccine product with advance trials.
“Countries around the world are in race to secure early access to a Covid-19 vaccine. We also are looking for doses from any of the leading vaccine developers for the inoculation of local people,” an industry leader told The New Nation on Friday seeking anonymity.
He said, Bangladeshi companies are in talks with top global companies to determine if the potential Covid-19 vaccine being developed by them could be marketed and manufactured locally. Domestic companies are looking for alliance and partnerships with them so that a vaccine can be made available in local market.
“We are betting high hope on Chinese and Indian companies to get a vaccine,” he added.
He mentioned that Beximco Pharma has already signed investment deal with India’s Serum Institute to supply Oxford- AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Bangladesh.
“Some other companies may be looking for similar deals to book coronavirus vaccine in advance to be sold in private pay markets,” he added.
When contacted BAPI Secretary General S M Shafiuzzaman said, “Some of our members are trying to ink deals with international vaccine producers including Russian’s. But no one agrees to disclose efforts before signing any deal as part of business secret.”
He said, within next month it will be clear that who will bring which country’s vaccine.
