MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara Uganda. Tel: +256 4856 60208; Fax: +256 4854 20782

Office of the Vice Chancellor

Press Release

Illegal production, distribution and sale of COVIDEX, an innovation of

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Following the Press Release by National Drug Authority, on June 14,2021, about Covidex Herbal
Medicine, this is to categorically state that as a university we are in full agreement with the decision
made about the Herbal Medicine by the NDA.

We are delighted to inform the general public that Mbarara University of Science and Technology
(MUST) hosts Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre (PHARMBIOTRAC) one
of the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Educations Center for Excellence (ACEII) in Uganda
that is fully sponsored by the Government of Uganda through a loan from the World Bank to
promote herbal and natural products technologies in Africa. Additionally PHARMBIOTRAC got
more funding from the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation (MoSTI) to support the development of herbal products in response to the COVID-19
pandemic in the country.

In the response to curbing COVID-19, PHARMBIOTRAC has produced a sanitizer (Pharmsan)

which has gone through the normal and proper procedures of approval and it is now available for
public use.

Covidex is yet another product under development in MUST through PHARMBIOTRAC. The
development has taken place at this ACE and a presentation on its development was made to the
donors. The product was considered an excellent potential herbal medicine and we were advised
to go head and follow the normal procedures of approval according to the approved procedures on
drug development and production in Uganda.

Unfortunately, the product was leaked to the market before going through the all the required
procedures. As MUST we value the safety of the population and wish to follow the right
procedures, guided by the National Regulatory and Certification bodies (NDA, UNBS, etc) in the
country.
We therefore would like to request the general public to be patient and allow this product undergo
all necessary procedure e.g., Lab tests, animal tests, clinical trials, production agreements,
certification, registration and licensing before the product can be put on the market for sale.

Warning: Any third party interested in the production, distribution or sale of Covidex herbal
medicine without prejudice is hereby asked to desist from negotiating any deals with any
individual, other than the University authority who ais the holder of the Intellectual Property Rights
for this product, and for the avoidance of any doubts, in this case Mbarara University of Science
and Technology authority.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) is hereby advised to work with Mbarara
University of Science and Technology if they are interested in supporting Dr Patrick Ogwang and
the team who have development of COVIDEX, but not at the exclusion of MUST, the IP owners
of the product.

Jena Herbals (U) Ltd, is hereby put on notice to stop any production, distribution or sale of
COVIDEX without the express permission of Mbarara University of Science and Technology who
is the IP holder of the product. Stand warned!

Prof Celestino Obua

Vice Chancellor
June 14, 2021

e-mail: vc@must.ac.ug, website: http://www.must.ac.ug