Founded on July 1, 1986, by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) is in charge of two of the island’s five Covid-19 vaccine candidates: Mambisa (CIGB-669) and Abdala (CIGB-66).
Abdala (CIGB-66) has already demonstrated 92.28 percent efficacy in its Phase III clinical trial after administering its three doses.
The CIGB also works on several topics and technology platforms, among them recombinant proteins, chemical synthesis, and synthetic peptides.
Among its products is Heberferon, consisting of a mixture of alpha and gamma interferons, but contained in a single vial with synergistic properties based on its anti-proliferative activity.
With the emergence of Covid-19, this injectable medication received in May 2020 an authorization for its introduction in the treatment protocols to fight the disease in Cuba.
Recently, the CIGB included Nasalferon, a recombinant human interferon IFN-Alpha-2b for nasal spray, to fight the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
Another medication produced by the Center is Heberbiovac HB, a protein obtained by recombinant DNA technology.
‘All these projects are backed by patents and are the result of the work by more than 350 researchers belonging to our center, 90 percent of them with PhD or Masters degrees,’ Guillen stressed.
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