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Hepatitis C: Efficient Treatment Developed

Marta Gómez Ferrals*

Havana, May 21 (Prensa Latina) Cuban biotechnology took a new and very important step in obtaining an efficient treatment for Hepatitis C, a disease that affects about 200 million persons in the world.

Herbeviron is the name given to this novel drug that is the basis of a new therapy. It is part of a kit prepared by specialist of the Engineering Genetic and Biotechnology center (CIGB in its Spanish acronym), one of the pillars of the science region in the outskirts of the capital.

It is produced by the Heberbiotec factory in Cuba that is in charge of commercialization of its biotechnological products.

Interferon Alfa-2B and Rivavirma, both made in the country, are components of Heberviron and it is used not only to combat the causative virus of Hepatitis C in blood but, in the long range, eliminates lesions in the liver and totally cures the disease.

Doctor in Pharmaceutical Sciences of CIGB, Hugo Nodarse, told the press that Cuban patients have a treatment that increases the possibility to control the disease that tends to become chronic and very damaging in the majority of cases.

Heberviron successfully attacks the virus in circulation, according to tests made in the National Institute of Gastroenterology. In its advanced phase of treatment, forecasts are of a cure of liver lesions and recovery of the enzymes of that vital organ.

Information should be available about Hepatitis C to understand the significant importance of this new Cuban therapy.

Hepatitis, in a general sense, is an illness that produces inflammation of the liver and may have an inflammatory, toxic or viral etiology.

Hepatitis C is a devastating disease that can cause death through cirrhosis or liver collapse shortly after contracting the infection.

However, infected persons who do not present visible signs and symptoms are alarmed about the disease.

Contagion is through contact with the blood of an infected person and can occur as with HIV, through non-protected sexual relations, use of infected needles or contaminated blood transfusions. Also by sharing toothbrushes, shaving blades and manicure equipment that has not been sterilized.

The most general symptoms are a yellowish tinge of the skin, sclerotic eyes, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pain in the right side of the abdomen, under the ribs or weight loss although there are more or less asymptomatic persons. It can only be detected through a blood test for Hepatitis C virus.

In the United States Hepatitis C is the first reason for a liver transplant due to hepatic cirrhosis and in Egypt 15 percent of the population suffer the disease.

Cuban science has been working hard on the prevention and treatment of different types of hepatitis.

During the 90s a national vaccine was made against the B variant; also transfusions have greatly improved with top quality technology developed by scientists in the country.

Since the 80s Cuba began the technique of liver transplants that, today, shows good results with more than 100 persons operated.

Scientific research on preventive and therapeutic vaccines against illnesses has amazed nationally and worldwide. It has also received strong governmental investment and support in its broadest sense.

That is the reason behind the interest to obtain the Haemophilus influenzae vaccine that protects the infant population against pneumonia, meningitis and otitis covering Cuban needs and also satisfying requests from abroad.

By the end of this year there will be production of an anti-lung cancer vaccine developed by the Molecular Immunology Center and whose clinical studies are in the final phase. Tests are also being done in the United States.

Work is also underway to obtain vaccines or monoclonal antibodies that open up new hope for the treatment of breast, neck, head, prostate and colon cancers.

In addition Cuba has successfully completed its last clinical assay of a quintuple vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough, hepatitis B, tetanus and Haemofhilus influenzae.

There is also one prepared against cholera and work is underway to obtain the same results against dengue, hepatitis A and tuberculosis.

(*) The author is a journalist of the Science and Technology Editorial board of Prensa Latina.


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22 March 2006

Cuban combined therapy against chronic Hepatitis C

BY LILLIAM RIERA —Granma International staff writer—

• A Cuban combination therapy for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C is to be put on the market by the Heber Biotec S.A. company in Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, where this firm has registered the Heberon Alfa R (human recombinant Interferon lfa 2b).

Heber Biotec S.A., certified with the ISO 9001:2000 standard, is the exclusive marketer and representative of the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB) as well as other institutions in the West Havana Scientific Complex.

Heberviron is the commercial name given to this combined therapy package for the treatment of a condition affecting approximately 300 million people around the world. It contains three doses of Heberon Alfa R, to be administered subcutaneously, three vials of water for the injection, and a bottle of Ribavirina 200 containing 42 capsules of 200 milligrams each, the dosage of which depends on body weight. It also includes three sterile disposable syringes, six needles and three alcohol swabs.

The package, containing a six-day course of treatment was launched on March 15 at the Hepatology 2006 event celebrated in Havana.

Mayda Mauri, general manager of Heber Biotec S.A., informed Granma International that in Cuba Heberviron has achieved a 30.8% increase in therapy response as compared to the Interferon single therapy, a fact which translates into a notable contribution to the control of chronic Hepatitis C.

Since November 2001, a total of 315 patients have been treated on the island with this combined therapy as part of a national program.

The components of Heberviron were developed and are being produced by Cuba: the Interferon by the CIGB and the Center of Bio-products, and the Ribavirina by the Medicament Research and Development Center and Novatec Laboratories, which demonstrates the integration and cooperation of the institutions in the Scientific Complex, Mauri affirmed.