Bangavax human trials approved

The local pharmaceutical company Globe Biotech Limited has started human trials of Bangavax, a single-dose Covid-19 vaccine.

Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) has given the approval.

Globe Biotech Senior Manager (Quality and Regulation) Dr Mohammad Mohiuddin confirmed this on Tuesday evening.

Earlier on Monday, the vaccine developers submitted a report on the results of the trial on monkeys to BMRC as per guidelines.

The vaccine was able to successfully prevent Covid-19 infections during the trials conducted on monkeys, Globe Biotech claimed.
In June, the BMRC, which oversees such trials, said certain conditions needed to be met before it would grant permission for trials on humans.

“Bangavax is a single dose vaccine and does not have any side effects. We have conducted trials on monkeys and obtained a 95% success rate. The success rate will only vary by about 2%, hopefully, in human trials,” he said.

They are of the view that since there are genetic similarities between monkeys and humans, the trials have already proved that Bangavax is completely safe and 100% effective and will work similarly in the human body. In February, the company conducted trials on rats.

In July last year, Globe Biotech announced that it was developing a Covid-19 vaccine.