CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

New Cuban Pentavalent Vaccine Begins Application.

CUBA, 18 August 2011.- The newest formula of the Cuban pentavalent vaccine Heberpenta, which combines all the components in only one vial and was registered in 2010, has begun to be applied in Cuba , Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, head of Technological Development and the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) told Granma newspaper.

This promising product of the local science is used in the fighting of five diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B. The vaccine was a joint creation of the CIBG and the Finlay institute, the National Center of Biopreparations (BioCen), the Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine and other institutions.

The new formula is superior to the one made in 2006. Unlike its predecessor whose components needed mixing before applying; it does not require mixing all the components before applying it, which reduces the handling of the vaccine, Dr. Martínez Díaz explains.

Also, the vaccine needing only one vial, reducing production, transportation and storage costs. In turn, it also means that the production volume can rise by 25 percent with the same volume of components.

The new vaccine was awarded a few weeks ago one of the National Prizes for Technological Innovation 2010, granted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA).

The pentavalent vaccine is presently only manufactured by three countries. Cuba's 2006 pentavalent was the second to be registered worldwide. (Cubaminrex-Granma)