The Cuban Ministry of Public Health on Thursday highlighted the work of Cuba’s Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Business Group (BioCubaFarma), for its contributions to the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The aforementioned portfolio granted recognition to BioCubaFarma at the Convention Palace in the capital, where the event was held on the occasion of Cuban Science Day, celebrated in our country on January 15.
Eduardo Martínez, president of the biotechnological entity, recently explained that in the COVID-19 confrontation protocol, 85 percent of the drugs used were supplied by BioCubaFarma.
Given the health emergency, a series of drugs were made available to the Ministry of Public Health, first of all with the idea of raising the immunity levels of the population, he said.
It was essential to strengthen immunity, which is why Biomodulin-T and Nasalferon were used; the latter was applied to doctors who were helping to face the new coronavirus in other latitudes.
Its effectiveness was demonstrated since very few doctors were infected with Covid-19, the Antillean scientist pointed out.
The alpha interferon and its combination with gamma interferon also showed they were effective in preventing patients from becoming seriously ill and losing their lives, added Martínez.
In the fight against the pandemic, he pointed out, Jusvinza and nimotuzumab were also used to attack inflammation.
We have experience developing vaccines, and we have production facilities for this purpose. First, we had more than 40 variants, but following the literature and the evolution of the pandemic, we focused on five candidates.
Of these, three received authorization for emergency use, the director of BioCubaFarma said.
With the immunization campaign implemented with the Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, and Abdala vaccines, it is possible to show a high level of vaccination, hence we have 99.2 percent recovered patients from the disease.
He recalled that all the success of Cuba’s health system and its biopharmaceutical industry has been achieved amid the tightening of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed on the island by the United States for more than 60 years.
Published by RHC
