Bangavax, also known as Bancovid, is a COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company Globe Biotech Limited.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The vaccine was initially called Bancovid.[7] On 23 November 2021, Globe Biotech has received ethical authorization from the Bangladesh Medical Research Council to conduct the first human trial.[8][9]

Bangavax
Vaccine description
TargetSARS-CoV-2
Vaccine typemRNA
Clinical data
Other namesBancovid
Routes of
administration
Intramuscular
ATC code
  • None

History

edit

On 2 July 2020, Globe Biotech Limited announced to be the first company from Bangladesh to have a COVID-19 vaccine under development.[1] The lone Bangladeshi company actually developed three COVID-19 vaccine candidates with different technologies.[10] The company named the mRNA based vaccine as Bancovid then renamed to Bangavax.[7] 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.[4] The Bangladesh government has been criticized for not approval the vaccine even after months to conduct the first clinical trial without any explanation.[11]

Globe Biotech published full research data in Vaccine journal in May 2021.[12]

After five months of delays 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. According to Md Harunur Rashid, chairman of Globe Biotech, "There are two types of mRNA vaccines: pure and modified. The modified one requires trials on monkeys. As Globe is making the pure mRNA one, trials on monkeys are unnecessary. Furthermore, there are no third-party CROs in the country that could conduct monkey trials. Regardless of the drawbacks, Globe will fulfil all the conditions that the government requires it to."[13]

As of February 2022, human clinical trials are underway and are expected to continue for at least six months.[14]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Globe Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine 'BANCOVID' listed by WHO". Daily Sun. 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ "'Bangavax' to get approval within a week". The Daily Observer. 25 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Globe Biotech applies for clinical trial". Prothom Alo. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Globe Biotech yet to get BMRC nod for human trials". Dhaka Tribune. 22 February 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  5. ^ Sumon S (8 January 2021). "Bangladesh joins global COVID-19 vaccine race with Bongavax set for clinical trial". Arab News. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. ^ Baray JC, Khan MM, Mahmud A, Islam MJ, Myti S, Ali MR, et al. (January 2020). "BANCOVID, the first D614G variant mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 elicits neutralizing antibody and balanced cellular immune response". bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2020.09.29.319061. S2CID 222127616.
  7. ^ a b "Globe Biotech to produce vaccine candidate for clinical trial". The Financial Express. Dhaka. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Bangavax gets BMRC approval to start human trials". Dhaka Tribune. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Bangavax gets ethical permission for human trial". The Daily Star. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  10. ^ "3 Covid-19 vaccine candidates by Bangladesh's Globe Biotech enlisted in WHO draft landscape". The Daily Star. 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  11. ^ Masum O (6 May 2021). "Bangavax first buzzed with hope, then fizzled". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  12. ^ Nag K, Baray JC, Khan MR, Mahmud A, Islam J, Myti S, et al. (18 May 2021). "An mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 elicits stable immuno-response with single dose". Vaccine X. 39 (23): 3745–3755. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.05.035. PMC 8130517. PMID 34039497.
  13. ^ "Bangavax Covid vaccin: BMRC gives fresh conditions to Globe Biotech for human trials". Dhaka Tribune. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Global south moves towards vaccine sovereignty". New Age. 19 February 2022.