In a dispute over the ownership of breakthrough herbal remedy -covidex, Professor Patrick Ogwang has been declared as the rightful owner leaving Mbarara University trailing.
The development comes after a case was opened at the high court, in which Mbarara University claimed ownership of the herbal drug, claiming it was developed under its premises.
In his defense, Prof Ogwang said that Covidex was developed at Jena Herbals Uganda Ltd, which is under his leadership as the Director and was never developed at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
In his verdict, Musa Ssekana (high court judge) on Friday explained that MUST wasn’t able to provide the formula of the drug, a thing which put them at a disadvantage.
In his knowledge, Ssekana said that the herbal drug was in existence under Jena Herbals prior to MUST’s research grant. Additionally, various government agencies have recognized Jena Herbals Uganda Ltd as the creators and proprietors of Covidex.
“This settled the dispute as to the ownership of the patent or copyrights in covidex and the applicants would have no basis to re-litigate the same on behalf of Mbarara University of Science and Technology which would have been the body with direct and sufficient interest to challenge the 2nd respondent” reads the judgement in part”
The covidex drug made rounds in the country at a time when COVID-19 struck, with testimonies indicating that it was healing a number of patients infected by the virus.
