Cuba is working on vaccine to combat dengue fever

In statements to Granma newspaper,  Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, President of BioCubaFarma, informed that several projects related to this disease had been underway for some time, which have been accelerated as a result of a recent request made by the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

He said the industry has a diagnostic system based on sum technology (Ultra Micro Analytical System) for detecting dengue. And now, they are working on creating new diagnostic procedures with more significant advantages in speed.

It also has projects for developing vaccines and specific antivirals against dengue, together with the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK).

In the case of vaccines, he pointed out that, since there are four serotypes, they must protect against all of them, which makes it somewhat challenging to develop an effective immunogen. However, they are currently working on several lines and strategies for developing vaccines.

For BioCubaFarma, the Immunoassay Center is in charge of the diagnostic system. At the same time, the vaccines are being researched by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, with the Pedro Kouri Institute IPK.