Cuba’s Lung Cancer Vaccine to Get Fast FDA Approval

By Ashwin Subramania - 12 May '15 16:45PM

After re-establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba, the US will not only be importing world class cigars but is also expected to bring in CimaMax, touted to be a superior lung cancer vaccine.

Officials from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in New York formed an agreement with Cuba's Center for Molecular Immunology last month towards developing CimaMax.

Clinical trials for the drug will start as soon as possible to get FDA approval.

The drug is already available in the Cuban market when it was introduced by the government in 2011. More than 1000 people suffering from lung cancer received the drug for free.

While the vaccine is not preventative, it is known to attack the existing cancer cells in the patient.

The drug works by attacking a protein known as epidermal growth factor. These are usually generated by cancerous cells so that they can signal other cells to grow out of control.

While the drug does not specifically target the tumor, it can however be used to treat even late stage cancer cases.

Clinical trials from 2008 have revealed that on average, people who have used the vaccine lived up to 4 to 6 months longer than those who didn't use the drug.

CEO of Roswell Park, Candace Johnson said, "They've had to do more with less, so they've had to be even more innovative with how they approach things. For over 40 years, they have had a preeminent immunology community."