The working team of the Havana-based Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) is currently working on a vaccine that generates a long-lasting specific and protective immune response to prevent the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus replication, Iris Valdes, a member of the Covid-19 vaccine project of the institution, explained.
Upon explaining on the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) radio and TV programme that the traditional process of a vaccine, from the preclinical stage to studies in humans to demonstrate efficacy and safety takes years, the scientist noted that in case of this project, the stages have been condensed.
Valdes highlighted that the large companies in the world that have been capable of advancing in their project have achieved it from already predetermined platforms, with a variety of strategies, to those that use RNA, DNA and recombinant subunits.
CIGB is working on subunit vaccines that use different hosts such as bacteria, yeast and higher cells to obtain antigens that will be the fundamental components, as well as different adjuvants to enhance immunity to vaccines generated by these antigens.
Since the first moment that coronavirus cases were detected, Cuba has been working in a government strategy to maintain control of the disease.
