Cuban vaccine against hepatitis B proves to be successful
Havana, Nov 25.- Cuba has not reported any cases of hepatitis B among people under 15 years of age since 2007, thanks to the preventive administration of the Heberbiovac HB vaccine against that disease, it was reported.
The vaccine was developed by the Havana-based Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB), said Eduardo Penton, a doctor in Biological Sciences who works in that institution.
The scientist told the Cuban News Agency (ACN) that the vaccine, obtained from hepatitis B surface antigen, is administered only once in the first days after birth.
Penton stressed that all Cuban children are immunized against that disease, and noted that data on a new therapeutic vaccine, called Heber Nasvac, to treat adult patients with chronic hepatitis B infection, are being collected.
