Cuban biotechnology – a news chronology

(From stories compiled by FOCAL, the Canadian Foundation for the Americas)

2007

January 29: With the production of 79,000 doses of recombinant streptokinase in 2006, Cuba upped manufacturing of this life-saving medicine 50 percent over initial 2003 production, Cuba's National Bio-preparedness Center reported. Recombinant streptokinase is used to treat thrombosis and heart attacks, given intravenously as soon as possible after the onset of a heart attack to dissolve clots, BIOCEN active ingredients plant chief, chemical engineer Dervis Llopiz, explained. (Prensa Latina, 29/1/07)

February 22: Hydrogel or polymeric membranes that can be used on patients with dangerous burns are in a phase of development at a Cuban laboratory, it was reported in Havana. Yanet Rodriguez, from the Irradiation Techniques Lab at the National Agricultural Health Center, said that the first clinical tests will be done with animals, and later in humans. A project of technical assistance with the International Atomic Energy Organization will allow financing part of those technological modernizations, Granma daily reported. (Prensa Latina, 22/2/07)

March 29: A therapeutic anti-cancer vaccine being developed by Cuban scientists is expected to give new hopes for patients in the advanced stage of lung cancer in terms of a longer survival rate and better quality of life. Known as Epiderma Growth Factor (EGF), the vaccine, discovered by Dr Gisela Gonzalez Marinello of the Centre of Molecular Immunology in Cuba in 1992, will be clinically trial-tested in Malaysia for the first time. Dr Gonzalez, who is also its project manager, said 230 advanced stage lung cancer patients had been identified in 12 hospitals to participate in the clinical tests in what could be a landmark trial for the drug. She said based on previous clinical trials in Cuba, Canada and United Kingdom, the vaccine had demostrated its ability to promote longer survival rates of up to six months, and up to two years in some cases, while helping to improve the quality of life among lung cancer patients who responded to the vaccine. (Bernama, 29/3/07)

April 7: Scientists from the westernmost Cuban province of Pinar del Rio are working to demonstrate orchid effects in human rejuvenation, an attractive feature in the Soroa garden, specialized in this plant. According to Doctor Alejandrina Pena, in charge of this study, the orchideological universe of the island, with some 330 species registered, is a vastness to explore, even when we are extracting from them about 30 essences for diverse medical treatments. (Prensa Latina, 7/4/07)

May 30: The directors of the Cuban Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), announced that the new drug HEBERPROT-P has an international patent and is available for people who suffer from complex diabetic foot ulcers, including neuropathic or neuroischemic patients. HEBERPROT-P, previously known as CITOPROT-P, speeds the healing of diabetic foot ulcers and reduces the risk of amputation. Ernesto Lopez Mola, head of the CIGB Business Development Department, said that the drug has been distributed to all the most important Angeology services of the main municipalities of each province in Cuba. (Juventud Rebelde, 31/5/07)

May 18: Prensa Latina reported on the creation of a collaborative biotechnology venture between Cuba's Neuronic SA and a Chinese state-held firm, Beida Wankun Science Development Co. The new organisation, which brings together two technology-transfer arms of Beijing University and Cuba's Neurosciences Centre, will be known as Beijing Neurotechnology Limited. The new alliance reflects the deepening involvement of Chinese institutions in Cuban medical technologies, and builds on previous collaborations in the production of monoclonal antibodies (under the name Biotech Pharmaceutical) and interferons (under the name ChangHeber Pharmaceutical). In a new departure, the latest bilateral scheme will focus on neurology, although it has not been clarified whether the applications involved will be in the area of small-molecule central nervous system (CNS) treatments or in biotech areas such as stem-cell technology. (Global Insight Daily Analysis, 18/5/07)

June 21: Cuban scientific and health institutions are conducting approximately 40 stem cell studies for the treatment of various diseases. The president of the National Commission of Regenerative Therapy of the Department of Public Health, Porfirio Hernández, said that more than 80 transplants have been performed on diabetics and patients with acute ischemic lower limbs, who have subsequently shown signs of a fast and effective recovery. (EFE, 21/6/07)

July 3: Two new pieces of nuclear magnetic resonance equipment are being manufactured in Cuba to support the diagnosis of patients who suffer from sickle cell anemia, local media reported. This technique, aimed at diagnosing the sickness by analysis of a blood sample, makes it possible to know when a patient is about to suffer a crisis, and makes implementation of the appropriate treatment to reduce pain easier. Manuel Lores, director of the Medical Biophysics Center in eastern Santiago de Cuba Province, told Granma daily the equipment is a new version of the Giromag 01 Universal Relaxometer. Resonance equipment will be installed at Santiago de Cuba's Hematology Center and at the Havana National Hematology Institute. (Prensa Latina, 3/7/07)

July 12: A partnership between the Cuban government and South African companies may see pharmaceutical products used to treat infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis being developed locally. Cuban embassy counsellor Enrique Orta said the country sought to develop further partnerships with local companies that would result in the transfer of knowledge to benefit South African citizens. Cuba, which has several state-owned research and development institutions, sought to build relationships to develop vaccines for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, said economic and trade counsellor Maylem Rivero. Rivero was addressing delegates from the South African pharmaceutical industry at a seminar hosted by the International Trade Bureau, which was launched in February with the intention of fostering trade between countries. (Business Day, 13/7/07)

July 15: China will mass-produce a Cuban pesticide effective against dengue-carrying mosquitos, Cuba's foreign ministry said. Cuban scientists developed and patented Bactivec, a biolarvicide which kills larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the dengue vector, the ministry statement said. According to the agreement, China will defray the cost of building the factory in China, and Cuban Labiofam scientists will provide the technology and know-how to build it. Cuba will purchase six million units annually of the insecticide, and China will donate another half million to Cuba, the statement said. (AFP, 15/7/07)

July 26: Doctors of Kuala Lumpur Hospital's Cancer Research Center are testing in this country a therapeutical vaccine to treat malignant tumors, developed by scientists of the Cuban Molecular Immunology Center (CIM). The vaccine EGF-P64K, against cancer, is not prophylactic, but therapeutic, to fight the growing carcinogenic cells, doctors Gisela Gonzalez, the project's manager and Carmen Barroso, oncologist of the CIM clinic research board of directors, explained after starting the testing stage. "Relations between Cuba and Malaysia began many years ago, and we will maintain our support to this project against cancer," Malaysian Health Vice-minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad said. (Prensa Latina, 26/7/07)

October 18: Malaysia said it plans to develop a "halal" (permissible) meningitis vaccine jointly with Cuba within the next two years. The 3.6 million ringgit (one million dollar) vaccine is aimed at the thousands of Muslims who are infected with the disease during the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. At present, most meningitis vaccines are produced from pig products, which are considered haram, or forbidden, by Muslims. The halal vaccine is a joint project between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the Finlay Institute in Cuba. Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia would provide two million ringgit for the project while Cuba would fund the remaining 1.6 million. Mustapa said 12 USM specialists and 30 Cuban experts would develop the vaccine from halal extracts of animals slaughtered according to Islamic tenets. (Bernama, 18/10/07)

December 14: The Cuban pharmaceutical industry is developing millionaire investments to improve the production of medications and to reach the basic required standards in health programs. During the third International Congress of Pharmacology and Therapy, Engineer Ramón Arango, director of Quality and Development in the Cuban Pharmaceutical Industry, said that seven top technology plants are being built with that objective. “These new facilities will increase the production of factors of clotting, oral suspensions, ecological aerosols, sanitary pads, diapers for children and adults, eyewashes, pills, and other lines”, Arango said. Also among the main tasks are included the modification of 10 production lines dedicated to the elaboration of solutions for hemodialisis, chemical reagents that are used in diagnoses and other medical products. (Cuba News Headlines, 14/12/07)