Use of Cuban interferons in the National Action Protocol for COVID-19 validates the robustness of our medicines, says First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in a new meeting with experts and scientists for health issues. Photo: Revolution Studios

The capacity of Cuban science and the Cuban health system to resort to products that have already achieved and demonstrated their effectiveness, and their value, such as interferons, for preventive use and the initial confrontation of new diseases, was highlighted by the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and president of the Republic. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, at this week's meeting with experts and scientists on health issues.

This Tuesday, the exchange focused on the result of the use of Cuban interferons in the National Action Protocol for covid-19, a presentation that was, according to the head of state, another "validation that we have robustness in a group of medicines that we have developed."

Doctor of Sciences Marta Ayala Ávila, member of the Political Bureau and general director of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), meant that more than 40 years after Cuba had managed to produce the first interferons, the new generations in science and public health continue to defend a project promoted by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.

Highlighting the renewed interest in the world in relation to interferons, Ayala Ávila stressed the organization of our health system for its use and the ability to use and place tools that must continue to be evaluated and positioned in the face of the appearance of new pandemics, a criterion that is shared by much of the international scientific community.

Cuba was one of the pioneer countries in the production of interferons, with the obtaining of leukocyte interferon in 1981, one of the first in the world. It is a development that has had several formulations over the years and that had among its most recent highlights, its wide use in the confrontation and control of the covid-19 pandemic.

Doctor of Sciences Hugo Nodarse Cuní, head of the Department of Clinical Research of the CIGB, recalled that the first use of interferons in the treatment of those infected by the new coronavirus was in China, at the beginning of the epidemic, and a drug created by scientists from the island and produced by the Chinese-Cuban joint venture ChangHEBER was used.

The expert pointed out that as a result of Cuba targeting and controlling covid-19 based on science and innovation, interferon was the drug that was most widely used in the pre-vaccination stage.

He stressed that this is a product of our biotechnology that was used 40 years ago in the Dengue Hemorrhagic epidemic, and 40 years later contributed decisively in confronting the main challenge that Cuban Public Health has had to face, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interferon, Nodarse Cuni said, is a solid antiviral that faced a new disease, which demonstrated in practice the potential of Cuban biotechnological products.

In a recount of the results of the use of this drug in the treatment of covid-19, the scientist recalled that Interferon type I had already been used previously in the treatment of coronavirus, but in the case of the SARS CoV-2 virus it was shown to be more sensitive.

The specialist reviewed the results of clinical studies for the evaluation of the effect and safety of Cuban interferons HeberFERÓN versus Heberón Alfa R; as well as the use of the latter in patients with COVID-19.

He reported that between March 11, 2020 and April 12, 2021, the period prior to the start of mass immunization with anti-covid-19 vaccines, also totally Cuban, more than 88,000 individuals participated in a clinical trial with the application of interferons, of them more than 10,000 pediatric patients, including the use of a lyophilized formulation in about two thousand girls and boys over three years of age.

Use of Cuban interferons in the National Action Protocol for COVID-19 validates the robustness of our medicines, says First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in a new meeting with experts and scientists for health issues. Photo: Revolution Studios

Among the results of the studies, he noted that treatment with Interferon Alfa-2b in COVID-19 patients contributed to recovery, regardless of the presence of clinical respiratory symptoms; was associated with a lower intensive care unit requirement, and significantly reduced the risk of death.

At the meeting, which was moderated by Dr. Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, first deputy minister of MINSAP, and in which the deputy prime ministers, Inés María Chapman Waugh and Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, also participated, the scientist addressed in detail the pharmaceutical formulation of recombinant human Interferon Alfa 2b in solution for nasal administration.

In the studies carried out, the already iconic Nasalferón, another fruit of Cuban science during the confrontation with the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated, for example, to have potency for nasopharyngeal antiviral effect, as well as sustained and prolonged effects. Its safety and prophylactic effect allowed it to obtain the Emergency Use Authorization by the Cuban regulatory authority.

Nasalferón, a genuine product of Cuban biotechnology, was born, emphasized Dr. C. Nodarse Cuní, as a prophylactic product and became a therapeutic tool.

At the end of the presentation, the specialist reported, in the regulatory order, some milestones of Cuban interferons left by the work done by scientists and health workers in the fight against covid-19:

—Emergency Use Authorization for Nasalferon.

—Health registration of the covid-19 indication for HeberFERÓN.

—Health registration of the covid-19 indication for Heberón Alfa R.

—Under evaluation by CECMED, a phase II/III clinical trial with Nasalferon in high acute respiratory viral infections (ARIs) in adults.

—Preparation of the file for sanitary registration of Nasalferón in IRA.

—Coordination to dispense Nasalferón in community pharmacies.

Use of Cuban interferons in the National Action Protocol for COVID-19 validates the robustness of our medicines, says First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in a new meeting with experts and scientists for health issues. Photo: Revolution Studios

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Luis Herrera: "Interferon was the inspiration for Cuban biotechnology" (+ Video)