US to test Cuban lung-cancer drug

New York governor, Andrew M Cuomo, announced during a visit to Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, that the FDA had authorised the institute to conduct the first trial of a drug developed by Cuban researchers.

The development comes after the Obama administration, earlier this month, opened the door on collaboration in medical research, with the relaxation of economic restrictions on Cuba earlier this month.

The promising vaccine to treat lung cancer, called CIMAvax-EGF, would be offered to as many as 90 patients suffering advanced lung cancer to determine the optimal dosage and its effectiveness as against standard therapy for those who had failed previous treatments.

The drug, so far, had produced modest results in tests in other parts of the world involving about 5,000 patients with non-small cell cancer, with patients living a few more months.

''With this landmark clinical trial, Roswell Park, America's first cancer centre, becomes the first American institution to give CIMAvax to patients," said Candace Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the cancer center, Buffalo News reported. "We're the first center to get permission to sponsor the US testing of any Cuban medical therapy to bring Cuban science to the United States.''

The Buffalo cancer centre has had informal exchanges with students and scientists in Cuba since 2011, which is the first formal scientific relationship with the country.

The trial would test the CIMAvax-EGF vaccine, combined with an immunotherapy drug called Opdivo, which had already been approved in the US. The goal was to see if the pairing improved effectiveness.

Cuomo pointed out that the FDA's action stemmed from the boost in a research partnership between Roswell and Cuba's Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM) that came about following a New York state trade mission last year.

About two months later, diplomatic relations with Cuba were restored by the US after a 50 year freeze.