Bangladeshi Breakthrough: Bongovax Secures U.S. Patent
A new chapter has been written in Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical sector as local company Globe Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine, Bongovax, has received a patent from the United States. This marks the first time since independence that a vaccine or medicine developed in Bangladesh has secured U.S. intellectual property recognition.
The announcement came at a press conference held on September 14 at 12:00 p.m. in Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka. According to Globe Biotech, this patent recognition will play a “transformative role in protecting public health in Bangladesh.” Officials noted that local production of the vaccine will ensure affordable and effective access for citizens while also opening opportunities for exports, foreign exchange earnings, and international recognition.
The company expressed optimism that the achievement will help Bangladesh address the intellectual property challenges expected after the nation’s graduation from LDC status in 2026. Tech experts have described the recognition as a “new dimension in Bangladesh’s march toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
Globe Biotech stated that it began research at the height of the coronavirus outbreak “to serve a national necessity.” Under the supervision of scientists Kakon Nag and Nazneen Sultana, the company developed COVID-19 detection kits, medicines, and vaccines. From this research emerged the world’s first effective single-dose mRNA vaccine, Bongovax.
In 2020, the complete coding sequence of the vaccine was published in the U.S. NCBI database, followed by research articles in internationally renowned journals Vaccine and Scientific Reports. The same year, the World Health Organization included Bongovax in its list of COVID-19 vaccines.
According to company sources, trials conducted on monkeys confirmed the vaccine’s safety and efficacy—marking the first animal vaccine trial in Bangladesh’s history.
Established in 2015 as a subsidiary of Globe Pharmaceutical Group, Globe Biotech was founded to develop biologics and next-generation drugs for diseases such as cancer, arthritis, anemia, hypertension, and autoimmune disorders.
The company claims that Bongovax is effective against multiple variants of the coronavirus with just one dose. It has been developed using proprietary nanotechnology-based innovations. Globe Biotech further noted that this technology could be applied in the future to develop not only mRNA vaccines, but also DNA, protein subunit, inactivated virus, or recombinant virus-based vaccines, as well as modern treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes.
