BioCen prioritizes innovative products associated to COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 12 (ACN) At the Parenterals Production Plants of the National Center for Biopreparations (BioCen), priority is given to obtaining Biomodulin-T and the sample transport means for diagnosis of COVID-19 (BTV), in order to satisfy the national demand.

The two products were recently recognized with the Technological Innovation Award, granted by Resolution 1/2021 of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, and after an increase in their production, they continue favoring the Cuban battle against the pandemic.

Humberto Perez de la Concepcion, head of the plants in this high-tech company, explained to the press that the two facilities where both variants are obtained work 24 hours a day all week long, and workers take shifts so as not to stop the process.

Thanks to this effort, he added, they achieve a daily volume of up to 100 liters of formulated product in each product, which guarantees around 30,000 units per batch, respectively.

These advances are currently possible thanks to the capacity of the institution's professionals to act in an emergency situation such as the one generated by the novel coronavirus, confirmed PhD Alexis Labrada Rosado, Director of Research and Development at BioCen.

In this regard, he highlighted the audacity of the scientists in taking on the development of the BTV without such experience, because although the center had a group dedicated to microbiological diagnosis and cultivation methods, it was a different model that had to be compatible with the PCR instrumentation.

Regarding Biomodulin-T, which is very effective in strengthening immunity in older adults and is key in slowing the advance of the novel coronavirus in nursing homes, he explained that the drug has a production history of more than 10 years, a well-established technology, production capacity and proven results.

This drug has different applications and a clinical trial is currently underway to assess its efficacy and safety as a complementary therapy to antiretroviral treatment in patients with HIV-AIDS, and another in children with a clinical-immunological diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency with Thymic Hypoplasia, the expert added.

A large number of biotechnological products and parenteral injection products from Cuba's biotechnology industry centers are produced at the BioCen plant, including Recombinant Human Erythropoietin, from the Center for Molecular Immunology; Jusvinza, from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology; and the important vaccine candidate Soberana 02, from the Finlay Vaccine Institute.