The National Research Ethics Committee of Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) on Wednesday decided to approve Globe Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine, Bangavax, for human trials.
Globe Biotech will get the final nod on conducting clinical trials on humans only after meeting some conditions set by the BMRC, its director Prof Dr Ruhul Amin said this after a virtual meeting.
On January 17, Globe Biotech, the only Bangladeshi company trying to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, submitted a protocol to the BMRC for ethical approval to conduct Bangavax’s clinical trials.
Vaccination drive in Bangladesh
Bangladesh, the prime recipient of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, suspended the registration for Covid-19 vaccination due to jab shortage amid a delay in the arrival of shipments from India.
However, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday announced that administering of Sinopharm and Pfizer vaccine doses will begin on June 19.
Also read: International vaccine institute to be set up in Bangladesh: Hasina
Some 4,257,499 people got the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine while the number is 58,20,015 for the first one.
Besides, the total number of people receiving their first jab of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is 2,162.
The health minister earlier said Pfizer vaccine shots will be given at four centres in Dhaka to those who have already registered.
The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) on Tuesday approved Janssen Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in the country.
This is the sixth Covid-19 vaccine to get DGDA nod for emergency use, but the first single-dose jab approved in the country.
The other approved vaccines are: Covishield produced by Serum Institute of India, Sputnik V of Generium Joint Stock Company of Russia, Sinopharm from Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co. Ltd of China, Pfizer vaccine manufactured by Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium NV, and Coronavac produced by Sinovac Life Sciences Ltd of China.
Also read: Alarming Covid surge in Bangladesh, 60 more die
Vaccine procurement update
Bangladesh will soon receive 10 lakh and 800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon under COVAX facility, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the US conveyed the message of this development to the Foreign Minister.
Bangladesh, earlier sought 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the US for addressing Bangladesh's immediate needs but the US is yet to reply on that particular request.
Meanwhile, the second consignment of the Sinopharm vaccine, amounting to some 600,000 doses, arrived here on Sunday as a gift from the Chinese government.
Bangladesh has also received 100,620 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on June 1.