The institution explained that the future vaccine is in the research-development stage, with a view to determining which variant will be the one that will be developed in clinical studies.

Cuba’s vaccine candidate against dengue has a safe technological platform and is based on recombinant proteins: a very safe technological platform, the CIGB pointed out in a previous tweet.

It is a tetravalent candidate, based on proteins from all four dengue viruses, which are being evaluated at present, the CIGB noted. Authorities and researchers from the CIGB assured that if the level of infection by the dengue virus is lowered – that is, the viral load – severity is avoided, even the symptoms, whether subclinical or light. Obtaining the vaccine is a complex process, because dengue has four serotypes and it is necessary to immunize against each of them at the same time so that the product can be effective.

A new rapid diagnosis system for dengue, on which specialists from the Immunoassay Center are working, should be available in the course of 2023.

In the opinion of the president of the Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industries Business Group, Eduardo Martinez, this system would make it possible to determine when the first symptoms appear, and whether it is dengue or a second infection.

jg/ro/crc