Havana, June 14.- The National Medicines Administration of China approved the commercialization and use of nimotuzumab, a Cuban humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
The approval is the result of research by the Biotech Pharmaceutical Limited (BPL) joint venture to expand the drug’s application in China beyond nasopharyngeal cancer therapy.
The Chinese health entity referred to the good results of the product in clinical studies, its effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of malignant cells and its widespread use since 1998 in Cuba and other nations.
The deputy general manager vice president for the Cuban part of BPL, Yanet Borrego, said «China approved the registration of nimotuzumab to treat pancreatic cancer, after a phase III clinical study.»
One of the main advantages of nimotuzumab is that it preferentially recognizes tumor cells and not normal tissue, which allows its combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or exclusively.
BPL President Bai Xianhong informed Cuban Vice Prime Minister Jorge Luis Perdomo in April about the research and the effect of nimotuzumab in the treatment of other types of cancers.
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