Indian pharma companies to benefit from Cuba's biotech JV

Cuba is keen to forge joint ventures (JVs) with Indian companies for manufacturing biotech drugs and vaccines. A new joint venture established in Cuba is offering opportunities to Indian pharma and biotech companies for investments and partnerships.

India had helped establish Cuba’s first chemical synthesis plant for the production of generic pharmaceutical products. A UNIDO project, which began in 1978, had enlisted the expertise of an Indian company, Sarabhai Chemicals, for the purpose. It was an early example of successful South-South cooperation.

The new JV has been set up for the development and commercialization of innovative biotechnology products at the Mariel Special Development Zone, Cuba, according to R Udaya Bhaskar of India's Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil).

The Mariel Special Development Zone is the first-of-its-type in Cuba, and enjoys a privileged geographic location in the center of the Caribbean sea.

New JV to be named IncuBIO

The new JV, named IncuBIO SA, is being established between the Center of Molecular Immunology (Cimab SA), Cuba, and Neuronic Mexicana SA, Mexico.

One of the first products scheduled to undergo trial would be NeuroEPO, a promising drug manufactured by Cimab SA. It is a drug used for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson and Ataxia, said Mr Bhaskar.

India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry is in close coordination with missions around the globe to explore opportunities for the growth of the Indian pharmaceutical sector, he added.

Several Cuban pharmaceutical companies are keen to source active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and bulk drugs from India. Indian companies dealing in vaccines and biotech products are being exhorted to enter into JVs with Cuban enterprises.

Cuba also is keen to enter "selective high-end partnerships" with Indian companies, said officials privy to the discussion, citing the example of Indo-Cuban joint venture, Biocon Pharmaceuticals, state-of-the-art biologics facility in Bangalore for the production of Biomab FGFR (H-R3).