COURT | COVIDEX | PROF. OGWANG

KAMPALA - Prof. Patrick Ogwang has told court that he is the inventor of Covidex. 

On July 5, a lawyer filed a suit against Ogwang, claiming he is not the lawful proprietor of Covidex, a supportive drug in the treatment of viral infections, including COVID-19. 

George William Alenyo and the Christian Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture, Industry, Trade and Tourism filed the case at the Civil Division of the High Court. 

The petitioners filed a case seeking a declaration that Covidex is a proprietary patent of the Government because it was developed using public resources. 

Prof. Ogwang was sued alongside the National Drug Authority, National Environmental Management Authority, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda Registration Service Bureau, Pharmaceuticals Society of Uganda, Uganda Revenue Authority, Attorney General, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Jena Herbals. 

Ogwang said he was not served with summons in 21 days as required under the law.

Prof. Ogwang further said the petitioners did not have a representative order to file the case on behalf of Ugandans. 

“The present suit is speculative and not based on clear facts and or cause of action as the petitioners have no knowledge of who owns intellectual property,” Ogwang said. 

He added that the suit was bad in law and does not establish a cause of action against them. 

The professor asserted that the contents of the suit were unfounded and denied the allegations raised therein. 

He revealed that the Government had never applied to the Uganda Registration Service Bureau for a patent. 

Ogwang maintained that Covidex was developed at Jena Herbals outside Mbarara University of Science and Technology in 2020 using private funds. 

Ogwang said the Government only disbursed funds to the university for evaluation purposes of the already available product in April 2021. 

“The Government made a call to individuals to come up with products that could alleviate COVID-19 that is claiming lives and I responded with three known products,” he said. 

Ogwang said Jena Herbals employs over 200 Ugandans and there is no reason to render them unemployed through an ill-conceived motive. 

The defendants said the orders sought by the petitioners if granted, will make scientists lose interest in pursuing scientific discoveries and inventions since anybody will ask them to surrender their invention to the Government.