BioCubaFarma denies fake news about Cuban vaccine candidate

HAVANA, Apr 13   The group of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies of Cuba, BioCubaFarma,

denied the day before information about the alleged granting of the category of excellence to a vaccine candidate from the Caribbean nation against COVID-19.

In its Twitter account, the entity pointed out that the news about the recognition by the World Health Organization of Soberana 02 is false.

The publication on the social network specifies that the wrong content appears reflected on the site PeriodismoEquilibrado, however other media and press agencies had already echoed the error.

Cuba has five vaccine candidates in different phases of clinical trials, among which Soberana 02 and Abdala are the most advanced, as they go through the third stage and are also tested in expanded population studies.

Last Friday the Center for the State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices, the country’s regulatory authority, approved phase II of studies of Soberana Plus in convalescents from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Soberana 01 and Mambisa are going through the second phase of clinical trials to confirm their efficacy and safety.

None of these drugs has yet been authorized for emergency use and research to apply them in pediatric ages is still continuing.

On March 5, Dagmar García, Director of Research at the Finlay Vaccine Institute, the center that created the Soberana line, said at a press conference that the trial in children under 19 years of age was under analysis by the ethics committee and was expected to start in April.

However, he explained that first it is necessary to advance in the studies in adults, determine the best formulation of Soberana 01 and Soberana 02 to apply, and adjust other details necessary for the safety of the research. (PL)