Incepta says has capacity to produce 1.2bn vaccines a year

Incepta Pharmaceuticals authorities say it has the capacity to produce 1.2 billion single doses of bacterial and viral vaccines.

If approved, the company will be able to make Covid-19 vaccine in the country, said the company.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque visited the Incepta vaccine plant on Thursday and the company's Chairman and Managing Director Abdul Muktadir gave journalists a presentation on how to make a vaccine.

Muktadir said they had four German technology filling lines and it is possible for them to produce 400 million single doses of vaccines per line every year.

"So, it is possible to make 1.2 billion doses of vaccines here every year, even if it is Covid-19 vaccine, since we also have a cold chain to store 500 million doses of vaccines," he maintained.

Muktadir claimed that they are the only pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh that manufactures vaccines using state-of-the-art technology in compliance with safety protocols.

"Now if we get a bulk of corona vaccines, we will be able to go into production in two weeks, however, once the master seed is obtained, it can take about 12 weeks to go into production," he said.

In this case, the government cooperation is needed because if the government does not want, it is not possible to bring the vaccine in the country alone, said the Incepta managing director.

While inspecting the factory, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said the government would provide all kinds of assistance to the private sector if the country could produce world-class vaccines as per the Good Manufacturing Practice.

In this case, not only Incepta, the government is willing to help any private organisation, he added.

Incepta has already earned the trust of all by creating multiple life-saving vaccines, the minister noted, saying any opportunity to produce coronavirus vaccine in Bangladesh will actually put the drug company ahead in terms of preparation.

The prime minister herself is sincere about the production of corona vaccine in the country, Zahid said, adding, "We are buying 30 million vaccines from Serum, but it will not meet our needs.

"In this case, the premier has asked me to check the capability of private firms."

The government will buy the vaccine if any local firm can provide it according to the policy of the World Health Organisation, said the minister.

"If Incepta can provide us with a quality vaccine, we will consider it. We have some limitations, but we are working on them," he added.

Meanwhile, Major General Mahbubur Rahman, director general of the Department of Drug Administration, said, "We have already written to the World Health

Organization and Oxford- AstraZeneca for vaccine bulk or master seed for vaccine production in the country.

"I hope they will tell us something positive. We are also in discussion with others."

Incepta says the company's vaccine production capability is not being fully utilised now. About half its capacity (628 million) is being used.

Incepta is the first life-saving international standard vaccine manufacturer in Bangladesh. Its vaccine factory in Savar officially started its journey in June 2011.

The company is producing and marketing more than 10 vaccines including rabies, rabies-IG, hepatitis B, typhoid, tetanus, tetanus-IG, measles-rubella, antivenom, flu and meningitis.

Incepta has been making these vaccines for the country as well as exporting them to 12 countries of the world.