Havana, July 1 (RHC)-- Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Saturday recognized the work and contributions to science of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its creation.

Through his account on the social network Twitter, the head of government sent congratulations to the work collective of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology -CIGB-, founded on the initiative of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

"You are the pride of our science. With your products many human lives have been saved in Cuba and other parts of the world," Marrero highlighted on the social network.

The CIGB imprints its name in the scientific history of the island and the world for the development of several drugs and vaccines such as two of the five Cuban immunogens against COVID-19: Mambisa and Abdala.

Abdala, the first vaccine conceived in Latin America, demonstrated 92.28 percent efficacy in its Phase III clinical trial and millions of doses have already been administered in the Caribbean nation and in other countries such as Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and Vietnam.

Data from the center itself indicate that some 40 million doses of the Abdala vaccine were delivered to the Cuban Health System for mass vaccination against COVID-19.

Mambisa is one of the immunogens designed globally to be administered nasally and thus attack the main entry point of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Center has been in charge of leading scientific products in our country, such as the hepatitis B vaccine, the epidermal growth factor, the Heberpenta vaccine and the development of streptokinase, obtained for the first time in the world.

It also has to its credit one of the most internationally recognized drugs: Heberprot-P, a unique and exclusive drug designed to treat diabetic foot ulcers and reduce the risk of amputation.