Cuba is developing novel drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis

The director of Science and Innovation of the State company BioCubaFarma, Rolando Perez reported on a novel drug that Cuba is currently developing to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which generates a high degree of disability.

This product - named the immunomodulatory peptide cigb814 - is one of those intended for the therapy of autoimmune diseases, Perez told the Granma daily.

Unlike other medications used against the aforementioned medical condition, this biopharmaceutical has no immunosuppressive or direct anti-inflammatory activity, but restores control of the immune response to the antigens themselves (natural tolerance), through the expansion of regulatory t cells, argued Perez.

With regard to the issue of new preventive vaccines, the also Senior researcher and Member of Merit of Cuba's Academy of Sciences indicated that the Finlay Institute has been working on the creation of a pneumococcal vaccine.

A phase III clinical trial of this vaccine in children of preschool age was recently completed with satisfactory results, and its registration must be requested from the Cuban regulatory agency, the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices.