Dispelling myths: Cuban biotechnology setting milestones -DAWN Science; October 07, 2006

WE only knew Cuba for its great revolutionary Che Guevara and the infallible Marxist leader Fidel Castro. The curtain of ignorance about the country lifted up for the people in Pakistan with the media coverage of the Cuban teams of doctors and paramedics providing humanitarian help in the earthquake-hit areas up north. For the first time the two nations started working together.

The setting up of the Cuban embassy in Islamabad is a recent phenomenon. What’s more, no one knew that a revolution in biotechnological science had begun to evolve around the mid-’80s when teams of high-caliber Cuban scientists started returning home after receiving state-of-the-art training in Europe for several years.The Cuban government invested heavily in science and biotechnology around the same time and within two decades, it was able to establish 52 scientific research institutes. Currently, it has more than 12,000 scientists. Its health indicators show that the country is at par health-wise with the US and UK. Its infant mortality rate is 6.4 per 1,000 and the life expectancy is 75 years.

It would certainly be surprising to note that today Cuba produces and exports the world’s most effective hepatitis B vaccine to more than 30 countries. Its biotechnologists have also developed the world’s first synthetic vaccines for the prevention of pneumonia and meningitis. Now Cuban scientists are poised to provide anti-cancer medication to the world. All these products are a lot less expensive than similar items imported from developed countries.The Clinton government had to bend its policies to allow a major pharmaceutical company to make a deal with Havana’s Carlos J. Finlay Institute to license its anti-meningitis vaccine back in 1999. It is believed to be the only effective vaccine against meningitis meningococcus groups B and C which are widespread among children, and have mortality rates of 7 to 19 per cent. It was the first entry of a Cuban medical product into the western market.

Despite their economic problems, Cubans have excellent laboratories “and their doctors and scientists have maintained world-class standards,” says Professor Michael Levin, head of the Paediatric Unit at St Mary’s Hospital in London, who is pioneering a joint UK-Cuban medical research project at the Finlay Institute.

The Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK), working closely with the World Health Organisation, is developing a new cholera vaccine and carrying out research to develop the first vaccine against Aids.

Professor Paul Farmer of medical anthropology at the Harvard Medical School says that with a “budget less than that of a single large research hospital at Harvard, IPK has conducted important basic science research, helped develop novel vaccines, trained thousands of researchers from Cuba and from around the world, and developed ties with researchers in the US.”

The Cuban Biotechnology Centre (CIGB), founded in 1980, opened its research and development facilities back in 1986. The Centre is devoted to basic and applied research, product development and production of vaccines and therapeutics. It has pioneered research into anti-cancer vaccines. In 1994, the Centre for Molecular Immunology, which is engaged in research on developing an anti HIV-Aids vaccine, was attached to CIGB. It is known for research in vaccines, interferon, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, plant and animal biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. The products developed in CIGB laboratories are registered in 61 countries and exported to 32.

Located in the western Havana bio-cluster, the CIGB is a large research production complex where research is being carried out development of new vaccine formulations by means of genetic engineering techniques, creating new combine vaccines, adjuvants and immuno-potentiators.

The pharmaceutical division is devoted to research and development of new products for treating diseases in humans. The Immunotechnology and Diagnosis Division is at the forefront of R&D and production of highly effective, rapid response, low-cost diagnostic systems, by using new tools, such as Functional Genomics.

At the Chemistry-Physics Division, sciences of Bioinformatics, Proteomics and Genomics are used to create innovative drugs. The Mammal Cell Genetics Division is devoted to basic and applied research, mainly in the field of transgenic animals and to the development of products for animal health. At the Plant Molecular Biology Division research work is being carried out on Plant Cells Genetics, particularly transgenesis, searching for solutions for bioagriculture problems by developing new species with improved qualities through the implementation of innovative biotechniques.

The CIGB networks with the leading groups in the field of biotechnology in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and USA, among other countries. It has developed business relationships with companies and institutions in more than 50 countries.

The CIGB’s leader products are recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, recombinant alpha 2b Interferon, recombinant Streptokinase, Interferon gamma, Epidermal Growth Factor, Erythropoietin, recombinant GSCF, Hib preventive synthetic vaccine and vaccine for the control of cattle tick.

CIGB’s senior scientist, Dr Pedro Lopez Suara, who was in Pakistan recently, told Dawn Sci-tech World that many Third World countries are eager to develop their own biotechnology sectors, Malaysia, India and Pakistan to name a few. Speaking of Pakistan, he said CIGB is working closely with a pharmaceutical company for several years and many of its medicines, are based on effective yet affordable Cuban biotechnology.

Since 1986, CIGB is the most important research-development-production center in Cuba. It has high-tech equipment and is staffed with qualified personnel to take a product through the process from biological research to development and production. At the moment, two CIGB products, Heberon Alfa R and Heberbiovac, are being marketed in Pakistan. Heberon Alfa R is an interferon to treat hepatitis B and C, and Heberbiovac is a vaccine against hepatitis B.

Recently, a Cuban anti-cancer therapy, known as TheraCIM hr3, was contracted to a joint venture with a German pharmaceutical. The German partner will be responsible for taking the Cuban product through further clinical trials and regulatory processes so that it can enter the European market.

A new research product used in the treatment of diabetic ulcers will soon be introduced into treatment regimens in hospital centers throughout the country, Dr Suarez informed. He said this drug could prevent amputation of the extremities in diabetic patients as it stimulates granulation and epithelisation, thus limiting surgery.

The writer is a freelance contributor

Meet Dr Pedro Lopez Saura

THE has an unassuming presence — totally proletarian. But when he is talking about his favourite subject, biomedicine, you are bound to listen to Dr Pedro Lopez Saura in awe. He is a pioneer of Cuba’s biomedical industry, particularly that related to Interferon.

Dr Pedro and his team were assigned by President Fidel Castro to develop hepatitis C interferon within six months. He and his team worked day and night to meet the target and he never went home during this period.

When I mentioned that a plant for production of this vaccine was being set up in Chandigarh through a joint venture between the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Cuba and Panacea Biotec, he said Cuba had been exporting the hepatitis B vaccine to India for many years. In fact, some 30 Cuban companies are already working in India.

He also reflected on the miraculous Citoprot-P, a new product based on a special protein called human epidermal growth factor which was a pioneering achievement of the CIGB. Injected directly into the foot wound of a diabetic patient, the medicine stimulates the scar tissue and heals the ulcer incapable of self-repair. In test cases, injections every day for three weeks stopped the gangrene from spreading and reversed most of the damage in the patient’s foot. The experimental treatment also eradicated the gangrene that had started in the other foot.

Though diplomatic relations between Cuba and Pakistan are quite recent, Dr Pedro and his Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechonlogy, Cuba, have their presence in Pakistan through a pharmaceutical company and Dr Pedro has been conducting clinical trials on drugs and vaccines in Pakistan for the last eight years.

Dr Pedro works for almost 20 hours every day. He cycles to his office every morning. Like all other workers and scientists at CIGB, he begins his day at his office with breakfast at 7.30am. The Cuban government’s policy makes it compulsory for all offices to serve breakfast to their employees.

His working hours stretch till 8.30pm and once home, he works for another three hours before going to bed. Dr Pedro gets a monthly salary equivalent to US$200 — extremely high by Cuban standards. His children's education and healthcare are provided by the government. All in all, Dr Pedro is content with his work and hopes to further biotechnological research in Pakistan — K.R.