Dhaka, Nov. 9 -- The authorities have permitted Beximco Pharmaceuticals to produce a generic version of US drugmaker Merck & Co's experimental pill to treat COVID-19.

More companies are awaiting approval in Bangladesh after Merck signed a deal that will allow the drug to be manufactured and sold cheaply in poor nations.

Besides Beximco, Square, Eskayef, Incepta, General Pharma, Beacon Pharma, Renata and three other companies have applied to the Directorate General of Drug Administration for the production go-ahead, reports bdnews24.com citing The New York Times.

"Beximco was given the emergency authorisation on Monday. Some more companies will get the authorisation. The process is ongoing," said Md Ayub Hossain, a director at the DGDA....