Roswell Park In Buffalo, New York, Has Unique Partnership With Cuba; Has It Explored COVID-19 Treatment?
/Buffalo, New York-based Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (RPCCC) and the government of the Republic of Cuba have a unique healthcare-related relationship.
Instructive to learn if RPCCC has interacted with their Havana-based colleagues about COVID-19 and if any medications developed in the Republic of Cuba to treat COVID-19 have been identified, requested and delivered to RPCCC for testing.
In April 2015, RPCCC signed an agreement with the Republic of Cuba government-operated Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM) to develop a lung cancer vaccine with a clinical trial in the United States.
In August 2016, RPCCC received authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to commence a Phase One Clinical Trial of the lung cancer treatment vaccine CIMAvax-EGF® to a limited number of patients.
In October 2016, RPCCC received authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington DC to establish a commercial joint venture with CIM, to be located in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM) and which will be the first commercial joint venture with a United States-based entity in the Republic of Cuba licensed to research, develop, manufacture and market biotech products in the Republic of Cuba.
In September 2018, RPCCC created a joint venture biotech company located in the Republic of Cuba, Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance S.A., operated by CIM commercial affiliate, CIMAB S.A., and by GBCT II LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RPCCC.
The OFAC generally issues for two years; RPCCC has not reported if the OFAC has renewed the license(s).
There have been no responses to the following inquiries:
To RPCCC 6 June 2020
“May I have a statement from the RPCCC regarding its efforts to use the relationship with the Republic of Cuba to investigate treatments for COVID-19? Given the unique commercial relationship between RPCCC and the government of the Republic of Cuba, important to hear from RPCCC at this time. And, if there is an update relating to the Phase II trial of the cancer treatment CancerVax, I would appreciate receiving it as well.”
To RPCCC 19 March 2020
“I am writing to learn if Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, given its cooperative research and authorized commercial relationship with Republic of Cuba government-operated healthcare entities, has considered or is considering seeking, if necessary, authorization from the United States government to import interferon from the Republic of Cuba for the specific purpose of determining its effectiveness in treating individuals with COVID-19. This article from On Cuba News serves as my reference point: “The famous Cuban interferon vs the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus: Many American readers have asked us if the interferon produced by Cuba could be exported to the United States. The answer is yes, it could.””
Previous Analysis
Roswell Park Announces Joint Venture In Cuba For Healthcare Product Development- September 26, 2018
Who Will Provide Cargo Services For Roswell Park? UAL, DEL, AA, FDX Or JBU- November 14, 2016
