In a decision that could rile China, Bangladesh has approved the clinical trials of India’s Covaxin, indigenously developed by the company Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research.

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh had recently sought approval for the clinical trials of the vaccine, Dr Syed Modasser Ali, chairman of Bangladesh Medical Research Council, told bdnews24.com on Tuesday. But the approval was delayed due to the coronavirus situation in the country.

“All the documents they presented were scientifically accurate. The National Ethics Committee gave clearance on Jul 18.”

This signifies permission to begin the human trials of Covaxin, according to Ali.

"After importing the vaccine, they must inform us about their plans before beginning the trials. We will monitor the situation regularly.”

Bharat Biotech sought approval from the Bangladesh government in mid-January to hold clinical trials of Covaxin in the country. The vaccine was approved for emergency use in India last January.

Covaxin is an inactivated whole virus vaccine, containing SARS-CoV-2 particles that have been chemically deactivated. That means they can no longer infect cells, but still stimulate a protective immune response.

The Bangladesh government, so far, has approved Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine, Russian Sputnik V vaccine, Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, American Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines for use in Bangladesh.

Initially, Bangladesh had relied on Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India to inoculate its population. However, it faced a crisis in its vaccination drive after India was hit by the severe second wave of the Coronavirus infection forcing the Indian government to bar SII from export vaccines to Bangladesh and other neighbors. 

Bangladesh then turned to other countries for getting the jabs urgently and China – which has been trying to extend its sphere of influence into several countries of South Asia through vaccine diplomacy – readily agreed to fill the breach. 

Till now, Bangladesh has received 7 million Sinopharm vaccine doses under a purchase agreement of 30 million. Besides, China sent 1.1 million Sinopharm doses as a gift in two consignments in July.

(SAM)