Local drug companies to bottle Sinopharm vaccine soon

A couple of Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies are expected to bottle Chinese Sinopharm vaccine locally within three months to meet the ever increasing demand for Covid-19 shots, across the country.

The Finance Division has given consent to Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Essential drugs Bangladesh to bottle Chinese Sinopharm vaccines after the Chinese pharmaceutical company signs agreements.

As millions of people across Bangladesh line up for their coronavirus vaccination shots, health officials are struggling to meet the surging demand.

The Health Services Division earlier sought approval of the Finance Division to locally manufacture the Chinese vaccines so that supply of the vials could be enhanced to combat Covid-19.

A high official of the Finance Division said the Health Services Division proposal contains how much of the bulk vaccine liquid will come to Bangladesh for bottling purposes.

Essential drugs Bangladesh and Incepta Pharmaceuticals will put those vaccine liquids in to vials with the help of Chinese experts, the official said.

According to the proposal some 26 crore doses of vaccines will be needed to get 80 per cent of people reach herd immunity.

A total of 15.67 crore of doses vaccines comprising Covax, Sinapharm, and Astrazeneca brands would be procured. However, an additional 10.67 crore vaccine doses will be needed to inoculate 80 per cent people of the country.

The local pharmaceuticals are likely to produce the remaining 10 crore doses and booster doses in the next nine months, officials said.

On May 14, the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) approved bottling of Sinopharm vaccines by Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd to meet the soaring local demand.

DGDA Director General Major General Md Mahbubur Rahman said there are more than one companies which have technical skills and necessary manpower for vaccine production. Incepta has also been allowed to bottle vaccines after taking care of some technical aspects.

The World Health Organization approved vaccines of the state-owned Chinese company’s Sinopharm for emergency uses. It is the first vaccine invented by a country outside the West to have been approved by the WHO.

The Business Insider Bangladesh called Incepta Pharmaceuticals Chairman and Managing Director Abdul Muktadir several times on Wednesday to get his comment in this regard, but he did not pick up the phone.