{"id":2146,"date":"2020-06-16T23:30:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T23:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/?p=2146"},"modified":"2020-06-16T23:30:32","modified_gmt":"2020-06-16T23:30:32","slug":"interferon-in-cuba-a-prophecy-come-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/interferon-in-cuba-a-prophecy-come-true\/","title":{"rendered":"Interferon in Cuba, a prophecy come true"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fidel inaugurated the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in 1986, where interferon was first produced 39 years ago, now playing a key role in the COVID-19 battle<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/en.granma.cu\/file\/img\/2020\/06\/medium\/f0027031.jpg?w=747\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>The Heberferon project was a colossal, rewarding effort that has saved lives.&nbsp;<strong>Photo:&nbsp;<\/strong>Ariel Cecilio Lemus Alvarez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro inaugurated the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) on July 1, 1986, he said he expected more from combinations of alpha and gamma interferons than from the individual use of the products, first produced in Cuba 39 years ago, on May 28, 1981.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prediction became a reality on August 4, 2016, when Heberferon, a new formulation of IFNS alpha and gamma interferons for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer, was approved in our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bearing in mind that both molecules are distinguished by their antiviral and immunomodulatory properties, CIGB researchers and Ministry of Public Health experts decided to include the drug in protocols for covid-19 treatment, as Dr. Eulogio Pimentel V\u00e1zquez, general director of the institution affiliated with the BioCubaFarma Enterprise Group, told Granma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Dr. Iraldo Bello, leader of the project at the CIGB, the biological activity of both interferons working together is superior to that of either one individually, thus enhancing therapeutic effects, something that had been previously demonstrated in studies conducted at the institution, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This medication has been administered to more than 3,000 Cuban patients with basal cell carcinoma, a cancer that is very common in elderly patients, many with comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The experience has shown that its use has been safe and effective. Today, Heberferon is widely prescribed across the country, including at the primary care level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the particular case of SARS-COV-2, the decision to use Heberferon was also supported by recognized international publications which, since 2000, have reported evidence that the combination of IFN alpha and gamma could be very effective against coronaviruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Dr. Pimentel reported, the first results of the Heberferon study have shown that, when administered subcutaneously twice a week, for 14 days in COVID-19 patients, the virus was eliminated within four days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such a promising report was obtained in 80% of the patients treated in the framework of the Esperanza clinical study. The clinical evolution of these patients was very positive, with none reaching serious or critical condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Dr. Bello, in addition to the impact observed in the elimination of the virus, the product also helps reduce transmission, by eradicating the virus quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ministry of Public Health expert commission recommended beginning its use with patients exhibiting a prolonged, persistient presence of the virus, achieving 100% elimination of the virus with two to four administrations of Heberferon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This scientific contribution is the result of the work of a large number of doctors and other health personnel at the Luis Diaz Soto Military Hospital, along with the researchers at the CIGB, a colossal, rewarding effort, Dr. Pimentel emphasized, saving lives and promoting the wellbeing of patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Source: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/en.granma.cu\/cuba\/2020-06-15\/interferon-in-cuba-a-prophecy-come-true\" target=\"_blank\">Granma<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Author:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/en.granma.cu\/archivo?a=2157\">Orfilio Pel\u00e1ez<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fidel inaugurated the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in 1986, where interferon was first produced 39 years ago, now playing a key role in<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/interferon-in-cuba-a-prophecy-come-true\/\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101011,"featured_media":2148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[36,8,43,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-covid-19","category-cuba","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1447,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/cuban-biotech-to-the-rescue-the-story-of-a-potential-anti-covid-19-drug-told-by-one-of-its-creators\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":0},"title":"Cuban Biotech to the Rescue: The Story of a Potential Anti-COVID-19 Drug Told By One of Its Creators","author":"Editorial Team","date":"April 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Cuban biotech industry has offered its own tool to fight the coronavirus disease. Dr. Manuel Limonta, one of the founding fathers of Cuba's biotechnology initiative, has explained how the island nation has mastered itself in producing interferon, a drug chosen by a number of countries to treat COVID-19. Amid\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Covid-19&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/category\/cuba\/covid-19\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scientists-work-at-a-lab-at-the-Genetic-Engineering-and-Biotechnology-Centre-in-Havana.jpg?fit=640%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scientists-work-at-a-lab-at-the-Genetic-Engineering-and-Biotechnology-Centre-in-Havana.jpg?fit=640%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scientists-work-at-a-lab-at-the-Genetic-Engineering-and-Biotechnology-Centre-in-Havana.jpg?fit=640%2C420&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1013,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/cubas-contribution-to-combating-covid-19\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":1},"title":"Cuba\u2019s Contribution to Combating COVID-19","author":"Editorial Team","date":"March 15, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Helen Yaffe\u2014 COVID-19 surged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December 2019, and by January 2020 it had hit Hubei province like a tidal wave, swirling over China and rippling out overseas. The Chinese state rolled into action to combat the spread and to care for those infected.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Covid-19&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/category\/cuba\/covid-19\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/virus.jpg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/virus.jpg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/virus.jpg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/virus.jpg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/virus.jpg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1952,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/today-marks-the-39th-anniversary-of-the-first-production-of-cuban-interferon\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":2},"title":"Today marks the 39th anniversary of the first production of Cuban interferon","author":"Editorial Team","date":"May 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Today marks the 39th anniversary of the first production of the Cuban interferon, currently used in the fight against COVID-19 in various countries of the world. As a milestone in its history, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) describes this fact in its profile on the social network\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Covid-19&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/category\/cuba\/covid-19\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2805-INTERFERON.jpg?fit=792%2C444&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2805-INTERFERON.jpg?fit=792%2C444&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2805-INTERFERON.jpg?fit=792%2C444&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2805-INTERFERON.jpg?fit=792%2C444&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1040,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/the-history-of-interferon-in-cuba-in-use-today-to-treat-covid-19\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":3},"title":"The history of interferon in Cuba, in use today to treat Covid-19","author":"Editorial Team","date":"March 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The interferon project began in 1981, after Fidel met U.S. doctor Randolph Lee Clark. Photo: Granma Archives Cuba\u2019s pride in Interferon Alfa 2b is a natural reaction given the international prestige enjoyed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology which produces the medication Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2b continues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Covid-19&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/category\/cuba\/covid-19\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Interferon_History.jpg?fit=512%2C346&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2933,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/cuba-proves-efficacy-of-recombinant-human-interferon-alpha-2b\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":4},"title":"Cuba proves efficacy of recombinant human interferon alpha 2b.","author":"Editorial Team","date":"October 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Medical and Surgical Research Center and the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, both in Havana, proved the efficacy and safety of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2B, a drug currently used in Cuba as a prophylaxis to fight Covid-19.The nasal spray Interferon is administrated to patients on a hemodialysis\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/inferon.jpeg?fit=960%2C543&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/inferon.jpeg?fit=960%2C543&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/inferon.jpeg?fit=960%2C543&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/inferon.jpeg?fit=960%2C543&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1009,"url":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/cuba-biotech-industry-has-enough-antivirals-to-treat-covid-19\/","url_meta":{"origin":2146,"position":5},"title":"Cuba biotech industry has enough antivirals to treat COVID-19","author":"Editorial Team","date":"March 15, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Cuba said on Friday it has enough reserves of an antiviral drug which has been used to treat COVID-19 in China to cover the island\u2019s demand and also that of other countries. Eduardo Martinez, president of the state group BioCubaFarma said: \u201cWe are receiving requests from a large group of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Covid-19&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Covid-19","link":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/category\/cuba\/covid-19\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba-COVID-19-interferon.jpg?fit=829%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba-COVID-19-interferon.jpg?fit=829%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba-COVID-19-interferon.jpg?fit=829%2C420&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cuba-COVID-19-interferon.jpg?fit=829%2C420&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3xdTY-yC","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-content\/uploads\/inferon.jpg?fit=700%2C444&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101011"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2146"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubasupport.ie\/latest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}