CAMAGÜEY.- The recombinant anti-tick vaccine Gavac®, produced since 1996 in the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB, Spanish acronym) in Camagüey, has experienced over the last three years a steady increase in its demand in Cuba.

In 2019 alone, this scientific institution produced 3.3 million doses with this end, while in 2015 the national demand did not reach a million. Eduardo Smith Polo, commercial specialist of the CIGB, explained to Adelante that since last October, the sales plan of the immunogen was over fulfilled, with a 30 per cent growth regarding 2018.

Smith Polo acknowledged that “this increase is accomplished thanks to the National Workshops of Strategic Agricultural Products, that are developed since 2016. The incomes of the center on this concept have raised to a little over 11 million Cuban pesos. We have the production capacity to back up an exponential growth of the product”, assured.

Ticks before and after Gavac®Ticks before and after Gavac®

Gavac®, product of the development of biotechnologies in the country, is currently commercialized with Panama, Brazil and Nicaragua. It is expected that in a short term, its application will be reinstated in Colombia and Mexico and that, after making a vaccine registry in this territories, nations from the African continent and other countries from Central and South America will join in, according to the scientist.

The immunogen, of proven efficacy, does not attack any function of the animal, but it works against a specific protein, the Bm86, in the intestine of the tick of the gender Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, the one with greater impact in beef cattle in Cuba since it represents 84 per cent of the mites existing in the country, according to a survey performed by the National Parasitology Labaoratory. This ectoparasite has a direct incidence in the weight of cattle – two ticks decrease the gain of a kilogram per animal and cause severe anemia, miscarriages, febrile state and hemolytic anemia (similar to Malaria).

In the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Camagüey, leader in the production of agrarian biotechnological products, it is also obtained the bionematicide HeberNem and the vaccine PORVAC, against the classical swine fever.