The upcoming start of production of the Cuban anti-pneumococcal vaccine, Quimi-Vio, the trivalent antileptospirosis vaccine, VAX-SPIRAL and the polysaccharide antityphoid Vi vaccine, VAX-TyVi, following the transfer of technology from the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV), are among the main tasks being carried out these days at the Parenterales plant of the National Center for Biopreparations (BioCen).
This was explained to Granma by Daniela Hormía Rodríguez, director of Parenterales of Biocen, who added that they will also receive the transfer for the production of the Quimi-Vio 11 valente vaccine, which is a product under development by the IFV, but which will be produced so that clinical trials can be carried out.
She specified that, as part of the manufacturing of the center's products, the production of Biomodulin-T and Biomodulin-T in 6R format was licensed in plant 2 of parenterals.
Just in the framework of the celebrations for the 32nd anniversary of the founding of Biocen -on August 14, 1992- by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, as part of the Scientific Pole of western Havana, this center transforms and diversifies its functions.
BIOCEN BRAND PRODUCTS
According to Humberto Pérez de la Concepción, deputy director of the Center, the founding concept of this high-tech company was to provide a large-scale productive outlet for the biotechnology products developed by the research, innovation and development (R&D&I) companies of the Western Scientific Pole.
However, over time, Biocen has also become not only a producer, but also a developer of products. An example of this is Biomodulin-T, a biological immunomodulator of natural origin, not hemoderivative, composed of specific fractions of the bovine thymus, with the aim of restoring the immunological deficit, he explained.
Pérez de la Concepción told Granma that the company's own products also include anti-anemia and nutritional supplements (liquids and tablets) of natural origin registered under the Trofin brand -Trofin/Biotrofer, Neotrofin, Neotrofin C F (also composed of vitamin C and folic acid) and Trofinvital- which contain a hydrolyzed bovine blood, bee honey and propolis, which guarantee their easy absorption by the organism.
The company's own products include dehydrated culture media, reagents and supplements, ready-to-use liquid media for aerobic blood cultures, and the nutritional supplements of the PorMás line, the result of an alliance between the Institute of Sports Medicine, CubaDeportes S.A. and the center.
They are also honored with the development of the btv virus transport medium, a cell culture medium for the transport of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal clinical samples suspected of containing the sars-cov-2 virus.
sars-cov-2, which during the covid-19 pandemic ensured technological sovereignty, active maintenance of the national epidemiological surveillance system, and confirmation of the diagnosis of the disease.
The National Center for Biopreparations is also the only one in the country to have a full-cycle platform for allergy vaccines (Research-Development-Production-Marketing and Follow-up), making available to patients three therapeutic vaccines: Valergen BT, Valergen ds and Valergen DP (injectable and sublingual), intended for the treatment of patients with allergic sensitization to house dust mite allergens.
Regarding the manufacture of these products for the National Health System, the Deputy Director of Biocen pointed out that this is the first commitment, so they are working against a controlled demand, especially for those products that are part of the basic drug list (Biomodulin-T and the Trofin family).
He stated that they follow up on production levels, work on the quality of the batches and their distribution nationwide.
