This humanized monoclonal antibody received last February new medical registrations in China, for its use in pancreatic, head and neck carcinomas, and nations such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Canada, India, Brazil and Germany have carried out clinical research with this Cuban product on different types of cancer.

Created by the Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM), this drug obtained in 2002 the sanitary registration granted by the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices for the therapy of advanced head and neck tumors in adults, after demonstrating its action of blocking the epidermal growth factor, an extremely valuable target in Oncology.

Tania Crombet, PhD in Medical Sciences, director of Clinical Research at the CIM, told Granma newspaper that Nimotuzumab inhibits the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant cells, the formation of new vessels and the occurrence of metastasis (cancer dissemination), and activates the immune system.

One of its main advantages is that it recognizes tumor cells differentially from healthy cells, i.e. it acts specifically on malignant cells.

In most cancer sites, Nimotuzumab is usually used in combination with irradiation and chemotherapy, the doctor added.

At present, the health registry in Cuba authorizes its use in brain neoplasms, esophagus, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer, with encouraging results in terms of longer survival and improvement of the general condition of the patients.

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