Cuba: great cigars, lung cancer vaccines. Cuba's bio sector most advanced in the developing world

When most people think Cuba, they think about a few things:
1) Cigars - Cuban hand rolled cigars are the best in the world
2) Pitchers who can build rafts: Let's face it the Yankees aren't the only club scanning the open seas near Cuba waiting for the next hard throwing lefty to escape.
3) Castro - and to a lesser extent Fidel's brother.
4) Missile Crisis - depends on your age but most recall this

Well, Cuba is trying to change its image it appears. They now have around 50 research and development centers and their biotechnology sector is considered one of the most advanced in the developing world. Of course it helps, that their scientist CAN'T LEAVE.

Seriously, it is good to hear positive news coming out of a developing country. Of course if you ask McCain and Bush, they'll tell you no good can come from talking to Cuba.

HAVANA - Cuban scientists said on Tuesday the first vaccine to extend lives of lung cancer patients has been approved by Cuban authorities for use and is available in the island's hospitals.

The drug, CimaVax EGF, has been shown to increase survival rates on average four to five months and much longer in some patients, they said in a news conference at Cuba's Center of Molecular Immunology.

In contrast to chemotherapy, the traditional treatment for lung cancer, they said CimaVax EGF has few side effects because it is a modified protein that attacks only cancer cells.

They said it was the first lung cancer vaccine to be approved anywhere in the world, although there are others currently being tested.

"It's the first vaccine for lung cancer registered in the world," said Gisela Gonzalez, who headed the development of the vaccine, begun in 1992.

The drug is in various stages of clinical trials in a number of other countries and is most likely to be approved next in Peru, where it could be publicly available by year's end, Gonzalez said.

She said several private companies had been licensed to market the vaccine, but it will be produced in Cuba. Cost for the treatment had not yet been determined, Gonzalez said.

Other cancer vaccines under development elsewhere include one made by Antigenics Inc against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and another made by Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc and licensed by drug giant Pfizer Inc that attacks glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadly type of brain tumor.

Tania Crombet, director of clinical investigations at Havana's molecular immunology center, said people from outside Cuba can come to the island for treatment.

"It's possible to provide this vaccine to any patient, because it's available in Cuba, it's approved by the Cuban drug agency so we can market the vaccine in Cuba and we can receive patients from outside," she said.

The exception would probably be Americans, she said, who are restricted from Cuba travel by the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba in place since 1962.

"Even though there is a new therapeutic tool approved in Cuba they probably wouldn't be able to come to Cuba to receive it because of the embargo," Crombet said.

The drug has been approved for clinical trial in the United States, but its possible use there is at least two to three years away, Gonzalez said.

Cuba's state-run biotechnology sector includes around 50 research and development centers and is considered one of the most advanced in the developing world.

It would be ironic if Cuba and China became the leaders in medicine and other biological sciences by being able to bypass all the road blocks the more developed world and we like to think more ethical and civilized put in the path of modern science.

It will move Cuba out of the poverty they have been in for years and make them a world force. And give China another industry as they are already growing at a fantastic rate.

It goes to show if for some reason one country doesn't follow lead of science another one will.

GC

If their scientists can't leave, how come I worked alongside Cubans in Madrid, Spain? Of the admittedly few Cubans I have talked with, although most would like to see political change in the island, they still want to stay and work there.

I agree with GC, that some of the "poor" countries could become leaders in the science field. I live and work in US as an Immunologist, but I came from a developing country (Sri Lanka). If you see the American media, it seems like that all the Cubans would like to leave the country and come to US. I think there are lot of Cubans love to stay in their country and do good for their country. My personal opinion is that you cannot rule a country for more than 40 years or so without the support of the people (eg. Fidel Castro). For unknown reason, American govt. hates Communists (but not China!!). American foreign policy is so selfishy! American health system is so bad, that lot of people are now going abroad to get treated for serious diseases (even though America has the best state-of-the art treatment facilities). This says that American system needs BIG change!!!

NICOLASICN000306980 wrote:If their scientists can't leave, how come I worked alongside Cubans in Madrid, Spain? Of the admittedly few Cubans I have talked with, although most would like to see political change in the island, they still want to stay and work there.

It was an attempt at humor....besides the key word in your statement is "Madrid, Spain" If they are in the US, it is typically via a raft. Of course the majority of my knowledge is from following baseball refugee's and that Elian kid

.

Afraid I didn't get the sarcasm earlier on

If they are in the US, it is typically via a raft.

So they can't get in the US, not out of Cuba... We're a lot less scared of communists in Europe

!