Bangladeshi drugmaker Orion Pharma Ltd has initiated a move to manufacture Russian coronavirus vaccine in Bangladesh.
The company disclosed the development on the Dhaka Stock Exchange on Wednesday, saying it has approached the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to transfer the technology to produce the vaccine at Orion’s plant, reports bdnews24.com.
RDIF is a government agency of Russia that looks after foreign investments made in Russian companies.
Orion Pharma said it communicated with the Directorate General of Drug Administration over the proposal on May 2 and disclosed the matter to the Health Division on Tuesday.
The company said its communication with RDIF was at the preliminary stage.
Other drug manufacturers could send proposals in the same manner, but the Bangladesh government and Russia will determine which company would finally produce the drugs.
Russia has offered Bangladesh joint production of its Sputnik-V vaccine, but the government will first buy some doses, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had said earlier.
