Cuba developing vaccine to combat COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, CMC – The director of research at the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Dr Gerardo Guillen, says a clinical trial remains active for a vaccine aimed at activating the immune system to combat COVID-19.

Speaking during a recent television interview, Guillen said that the drug called CIGB 2020 is undergoing trials at the Luis Diaz Hospital in Havana with volunteer patients suspected of being carriers of the disease. 

He says the drug is nasally and sublingually administered to strengthen these areas and according to him encouraging results have already been observed regarding the activation of the innate immune system, which is very important to successfully combat this disease.

“Our researchers have been able to make lab technologies available to this research in record time and after these first results we will continue with the trials and analyse the results,” Guillen said.

Meanwhile, up to Tuesday, there were 766 positive COVID-19 cases across the island.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, 599 of patients are in stable condition.

To date, there have been 21 deaths. 

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