Camagüey, Cuba Jan 5 – The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (IGBC) of the province of Camagüey, one of the flagship institutions of science in the territory, arrived in 2017 to one of their most cherished goals: to strengthen the presence of its products in the national agricultural and livestock development.
With several years as one of the leading exporters in Camagüey, with the vaccine Gavac, against the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus of cattle, the entity working to boost sales within the borders of Cuba, where, in addition, marketed as the bionematicide Hebernem.
The curve of penetration in the domestic market grew in the calendar just ended up to almost half of the operations, a cause for celebration for your collective because, in addition to the two products already consolidated, incorporated the Porvac vaccine, the only one of its kind in the world against hog cholera.
Specialized in biotechnology research for the agricultural sector, the IGBC of Camagüey fulfilled His plan of values in November, with a 48 % of sales on the Island and a 52% in exports of GAVAC.
A star that maintains its brightness
Yamilka Ramirez Núñez, principal specialist of the Business Group of the IGBC in the territory, he said that the garrapaticida continues as the star product of the center, with around six million doses released in 2017, of which more than two million for the integrated control of the tick in the country.
“The Management of Animal Health (DSA) of the Ministry of Agriculture to certify that the year concludes with almost 920 thousand cattle included in the program of integrated control of the tick with the use of Gavac, an immunogen that operates against a specific protein in the intestine of the tick,” explained the directive.
“The challenge for us and for the promoters of Gavac is to immunize the entire mass vaccine exposed to the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, which is estimated to be around 30 or 35 percent of the total mass in the nation,” he said Yamilka Ramirez.
From the program of integrated control of the tick, for more than 20 years, deaths from anaplasmosis and babesiosis, foodborne diseases mite, were gradually diminishing, to bring them to almost zero from 2001.
Considered the star product of the IGBC Gavac, Camagüey is also currently marketed in Venezuela, Brazil and Panama, and has registries in other countries where can become effective implementation.
In addition to Hebernem bionematicida Gavac, is also widespread in the country’s agricultural practice, by their effectiveness in the control of nematode pests in protected crops and semiprotegidos, and this year will be traded more than three thousand bags, applied in 116 hectares of cultivation.
Porvac, a subunit vaccine against classical swine fever (CSF) or hog cholera, is the new jewel that came in the package of marketing of the institution, the specialist in the area.
The aim is to eradicate the CFP in the country, and Porvac has great potential for doing so, in addition to being safer than the traditional vaccines obtained from the attenuated virus -Porvac was developed from a combination of proteins, the Cuban avoids the vertical transmission, or through the placenta.
In developing potential
Nemesio González Fernández, head of the Department of Research and Development of the IGBC in Camagüey, commented that the main lines in your area are primarily aimed at strengthening the potential of the products already registered, and to get new ones.
“Porvac has so far only been supplied the necessary for clinical trials that have developed in the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Río, but already in 2018 will begin to produce on a larger scale and will be invested in the availability of equipment to arrive in a future up to approximately 10 million doses per year,” he said.
It also works in the study of microbial isolates to develop new bio-similar or superior to the Hebernem, with aggregated values for, in addition to controlling pests, stimulate plant growth and strengthen the immune system of the plants.
Although the IGBC Camagüey agricultural profile is also carried out by the research and development of a vaccine candidate against prostate cancer, approved by the State Center for the Control of Drugs to enter at the end of 2018 in a new phase of clinical trial, he added González Fernández.
A history, a legacy
To Jesus Zamora Sanchez, director of the IGBC in Camagüey, is excited to know that what has been achieved so far according to the ideas of Fidel Castro, historical leader of the Revolution, when he founded this and other centers of high scientific value in the country, for his certainty that in science was the development and future of the nation.
“We took as our opening date the 25 of July 1989, since that day, the Commander-in-Chief visited the newly constructed facilities, and laid the foundations of our mission: to create biotech products of high added value in a closed cycle, for export and import substitution,” he said.
This collective vanguard of the Camagüey´s science, but feels that there is still much to be done, he was able to say goodbye to 2017 with the satisfaction that the legacy of its founder moves with them to secure steps and firm. (ACN) (Photos: File)
