Significant technological innovation at Cuban institutions

HAVANA, May 11 (acn) The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) described as significant the results of Cuban entities in the field of technological innovation, after they were granted nine Gold Medals by that international organization.

This reveals the development achieved in terms of trademarks and patents, said WIPO's deputy general director for Patents and Technology John Sandage in statements to the Cuban News Agency.

Sandage spoke at the opening session, Tuesday, at an international forum on World Challenges on Industrial Property, which winds up today at Havana's Memories Hotel.

Speaking to participants, the general director of the Cuban Industrial Property Organization, Maria de los Angeles Sanchez, said that her entity offers advice to the country's investment process, technology transfer and economic cooperation actions, as well as the scientific and technological policy.

The Cuban entity also prioritizes the training and development of human resources both in the state and non-state sectors. Cuba was grated its most recent gold in April 2015, following an innovation by the Havana-based Molecular Immunology Center, based on monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and diagnostic of psoriasis.

The first gold medal was given in 1989 to the Finlay Institute for the development of a Meningitis vaccine, and this was followed by another similar prize in 1999 to the National Scientific Research Center (CNIC)for the development of a multi-use pharmaceutical known as PPG.

Other centers that received the gold medals included a center in chemical bio-agents at the University of central Villa Clara province for product obtained from sugar cane derivatives; the National Livestock Health Center (CENSA)for a product to preserve non-refrigerated milk; the Synthetic Antigens Center at the
University of Havana which worked with the University of Ottawa in the production of a vaccine against Haemophilus Influenza B.

Significant enough was the medal granted in 2011 to the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center for its Heberprot-P diabetic foot ulcer pharmaceutical, which prevents the risk of lower-limb amputation in patients suffering from that disease.