A modern plant has been opened in India for the production of a human monoclonal antibody developed by Cuban specialists, which is being used with promising results in the treatment of head and neck tumors in combination with radio therapy.

CIMAher or H-R3, registered on the island since 2002 and patented in 17 nations, was developed in the Molecular Immunology Center (CIM), located in the Scientific Complex in west Havana, in whose modern laboratory 22 products are currently being developed, among them, vaccines for cancer.

The new plant is part of the Biocon Biopharmaceutical joint venture, represented by the Cuban firm CIMAB and the Indian firm Biocon, which is also responsible for marketing the monoclonal antibody.

Located in the city of Bangalore, the most biotechnologically advanced in India, the installation has the annual production capacity of eight kilograms of monoclonal antibodies, and the ability to fill several hundreds of thousands of vials with therapeutic products, reports PL from New Delhi.

During the inauguration, P. Chidambaram, finance minister of that Asian nation, emphasized the importance of Cuban-Indian collaboration in the area of biotechnology, in which the two countries form a world class force.

Chidambaram also expressed the appreciation of his government and people for the aid that the island gave to the Pakistani earthquake victims by immediately sending specialized medical personnel. "We felt this aid as if we ourselves had been the recipients," he affirmed.

Juan Carretero, the Cuban ambassador to India, said that it was a memorable day for everyone who has participated in the project, especially for those who had the vision of creating opportunities in biotechnology, in particular President Fidel Castro