The phase I clinical trial with the product Gammaglobulin showed encouraging results in terms of safety, reduction of lung lesions and viral negativization in COVID-19 patients, said Cuban experts in charge of the study.
The drug was developed by the enterprise Laboratorios AICA in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), based on blood donations from convalescents of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, Cubadebate reported.
La Empresa Laboratorios #AICA de conjunto con el Ministerio de Salud Pública (#MINSAP) desarrollan un #EnsayoClínico con el producto #Gammaglobulina anti-SARS-CoV-2 con alentadores resultados.#COVID19 #CienciaCubana@MINSAPCuba @AicaLaboratorio https://t.co/MTj0dbj2yj
— RedCubanaDeLaCiencia (@RedCienciaCuba) September 28, 2021
Captain Beatriz Amat, principal researcher of the trial carried out at the Doctor Luis Díaz Soto Central Military Hospital, explained that the study included 21 patients older than 19 years with severe symptoms of COVID-19, 10 of whom formed the control group and 11 received the drug.
The doctor stated that 72 hours after starting the treatment, the initial symptoms in the patients decreased and the PCR test was negative, while the lung lesions were progressively reduced in the image studies, the source indicated.
Moreover, the specialist in Immunology and Comprehensive General Medicine affirmed that no adverse events were recorded, and none of the treated patients required ventilatory assistance, nor did they reach critical stages of the contagious disease.
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For her part, Master of Science Maritza González said that the anti-SARS-CoV-2 Gamma globulin is a blood product manufactured in the Serums and Blood Products business unit belonging to the AICA Laboratories.
She explained that the product is obtained from a concentrate of antibodies derived from a pool of plasma from volunteer donors convalescing from the virus, who during the infection were classified as moderately, seriously and critically ill; in addition to people immunized with the Soberana Plus vaccine.
Cited by the source, the specialist stressed that her enterprise has the necessary and adequate capacities to increase the manufacture of the drug, but so far there are not enough voluntary blood donations.
During the pandemic, Cuba opted to develop its own drugs to treat COVID-19 patients and its internationally recognized biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry has met expectations.
Products such as recombinant interferon Alpha 2B, CIGB 258 and Biomodulin T, and entities such as the BioCubaFarma business group, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) and the Finlay Institute are systematically mentioned in the media, and their directors — who in turn have become spokespeople for those who remain working in the shadows — have become public figures at a time when true contributions in favor of life are gaining ground in the face of the usual celebrity of the frivolous.
In addition, Cuban scientists have managed to develop three COVID-19 vaccines that showed high efficacy in clinical trials and are currently used in the immunization of the island’s entire population, scheduled to conclude this year.
