At an event organised by the Embassy of Cuba in Vietnam, with the presence of Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, representatives of BioCubaFarma said Cuban biotechnology products, particularly in biomedicine and pharmaceuticals, are present in more than 70 countries.

They affirmed that the Cuba-Vietnam friendship is the foundation for the two countries to  step up broader cooperation across all areas, especially in science and technology, which play a decisive role in socio-economic development and safeguarding each country’s health sovereignty.

Dr. Carrera said that to reach its current level, Cuba has strengthened an integrated research and production model that serves both domestic demand and exports. BioCubaFarma has more than 19,000 specialists, operates under strict international standards, and is able to transfer technologies to 10 countries and train high-quality personnel for partners.

He also noted Cuba’s capacity for innovation through a balanced combination of absorbing external technologies and developing its own pioneering products, including breakthrough biological medicines for rare diseases.

BioCubaFarma is currently implementing around 400 research projects, with a focus on key areas such as cancer, infectious diseases, immunology, neuroscience, metabolic disorders and biological products applied in agriculture.

Genfarma, a joint venture between BioCubaFarma and Vietnamese partners established in 2025, is an important milestone marking a more substantive and practical phase of cooperation between the two countries, particularly as Vietnam is working to strengthen self-reliance in vaccine, pharmaceutical and biological production.

Beyond being a business entity, Genfarma also plays a strategic role in receiving and transferring core technologies from Cuba for production in Vietnam. Through this joint venture, scientists from both countries will coordinate research and use shared resources to produce specialised medicines domestically, helping reduce dependence on external supply and lower treatment costs.

With Vietnam’s pharmaceutical market forecast to reach US$10 billion by 2026, this provides favourable conditions for Cuban therapies and technologies to expand their presence in the market.

Founded in 2012, BioCubaFarma is Cuba’s national biotechnology and pharmaceutical group, responsible for around 50% of the country’s research activity. The group focuses on research, development, production and commercialisation of high-tech products such as medicines, diagnostic systems and medical equipment to improve public health and create high-value exports.

Notable pharmaceutical products developed by the group include Heberprot-P for diabetic foot ulcers, Hebermin, the monoclonal antibody Nimotuzumab, the VA-Mengoc-BC vaccine against meningococcal disease serogroup BC, and the lung cancer therapeutic vaccine CIMAvax.

BioCubaFarma has also registered and applied Nimotuzumab in the treatment of brain, head and neck tumours. Another product, NeuralCIM, has shown effectiveness of over 65% in treating Alzheimer’s disease, thus helping improve cognitive impairment in some patients.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines developed by BioCubaFarma, including Soberana 02 and Abdala, were widely used.

Vietnam, Cuba step up practical cooperation to reinforce special ties

Vietnam is committed to working closely with Cuba to implement cooperation programmes and projects, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and people in both countries, a senior Party official has said.