Latin America is ramping up its contributions to the worldwide race for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Cuba’s state-owned BioCubaFarma, through its Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), has designed a vaccine candidate and is advancing its development in collaboration with China’s Research and Development Center in Yongzhou, Hunan’s Industrial Zone.
In Chile, the Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy (IMII) is gearing up to produce a vaccine candidate within two months, with plans to bring it to market within a year and a half. Brazil’s educational giant, the University of São Paulo (USP), announced its vaccine development initiative earlier this month.
Mexico’s National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) is recruiting participants for a clinical trial (CT) to evaluate the efficacy of its peptide extract, Transferón, on non-severe COVID-19 patients in the early stages of the disease. The trial aims to enroll hundreds of volunteers.
Argentina’s National University of Tucumán (UNT) is gearing up for a clinical trial on hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment. In Brazil, four health institutions, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (MoH), are set to assess the impact of hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and dexamethasone on mild, severe, and critical COVID-19 cases in 1,354 patients, with results anticipated within 60 to 90 days. EMS, a local pharmaceutical company, will contribute by supplying the trial with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
In a significant development, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) has completed the initial sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Brazil’s northern region, identifying nine mutations distinct from a sample originating from Wuhan, China. Researchers are now delving into whether these genetic variations influence the severity of COVID-19 infections.
