Over 81,000 with diabetes worldwide treated with Cuban drug Heberprot-P

HAVANA- Over 81,000 people with diabetes from 20 countries have been treated with the Cuba-developed drug Heberprot-P.

The drug is considered to date as the only option to avoid the limb amputation in diabetic terminal lesions, an expert said here Thursday.

Dr. Manuel Raices, specialist from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), said in a press conference that several years after its release, the Heberprot-P has shown high effectiveness in healing diabetic ulcers.

The treatment with this drug has meant a revolution in handling with diabetic foot ulcers, which leads to an irreversible amputation, Dr Raices highlighted.

According to U.S. statistics quoted by Cuban health officials, 65 percent of patients with foot ulcers certainly suffer amputation, with an accompanying treatment costing from 60,000 to 70,000 U.S. dollars.

The use of this drug has become widespread with good results in Cuba since 2009 in about 100 health institutions, where thousands of patients were treated.

The ICGEB expert recalled that Heberprot-P was submitted to a long process of research and testing before validating its results.

He advanced that nano reasearch is being undertaken with the drug, aiming to obtain generations of that product more effective and with lower cost.

Currently the Heberprot-P is available in 43 hospitals and 197 polyclinics in Cuba.

With the purpose of promoting and expanding the use and trade of the Heberprot-P, Cuba will hold the International Congress Heberprot-P 2012, from Dec. 12 to 14 in Havana.

Source: Xinhuanet

Category: Pharmaceuticals