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HAVANA, Cuba, April 15, 2020 (CMC) – The Director of Research at the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, here, Dr. Gerardo Guillen, says a clinical trial is now being held for a vaccine, aimed at activating the immune system, to combat COVID-19.
Speaking during a recent television interview, Guillen disclosed that the drug, called CIGB 2020, is undergoing trials at the Luis Diaz Hospital in Havana, with volunteer patients, suspected of being carriers of the disease.
He revealed that the drug is nasally and sublingually administered, to strengthen these areas, and encouraging results have already been observed, regarding the activation of the innate immune system, which is very important to successfully combat the coronavirus.
He announced that CIGB 2020 is a drug that is inserted, along with another Cuban vaccine, developed by the Finlay Institute, in a field of research that has been much debated in contemporary science — the development of specific vaccines to stimulate innate immunity, which is powered by the novel coronavirus.
“Our researchers have been able to make lab technologies available to this research, in record time, and after these first results, we will continue with the trials and analyze the results,” Guillen said.
Meanwhile, up to yesterday, there were 766 positive COVID-19 cases across the island, and, according to the Ministry of Public Health, 599 out of those patients are in stable condition, and, to date, there have been 21 deaths.
