Cuba has two therapeutic vaccines for lung cancer

Cuba currently has two therapeutic vaccines against advanced big cell lung cancer, the more frequent and deadly of malignancies of this vital organ, approved for use by the Centre to the Control State of the quality of medicines, equipment and devices (CECMED), those lines national regulatory authority.

Developed by researchers of the center of Molecular Immunology (CIM), the most recent was registered in 2012, after rigorous clinical trials showed encouraging results to report an increase of survival time in patients which was administered, in comparison with those of the control group who did not receive it.

According to sources of the institution belonging to the BioCubaFarma business group said to this reporter, the product has low toxicity not to cause the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, condition that allows use in prolonged treatments, even in elderly patients. Its safety leads to use in primary health care.

Called RACOTUMOMAB (VAXIRA), the vaccine has been multinational trials involving scientific institutions in Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and other countries.

Also, the experience of the center of Molecular Immunology in its application received the distinction of relevant result in the Congress of the European society of medical oncology, made in Vienna, Austria, in 2012.

It was also published in prestigious international specialized journals, including The Journal of Immunology, of the American Society of Immunology, and Clinical Inmunology.

In June 2013, the medication was presented in Argentina, after approval of its registration in the South American nation. It also earned award national of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba for the last year.

The first Cuban therapeutic vaccine against advanced lung cancer (CIMAvax EGF) was obtained in the own CIM and received its validation in 2008.

Experts of the company pointed out that the objective of this line of research is to try to transform advanced cancer into a chronic disease that can be controlled for long periods, as with diabetes or high blood pressure, giving patients more years of survival and quality of life acceptable.

Lung cancer is now the leading cause of death from neoplasms in Cuba to result in an estimated annual average of 5,000 dead.