Fernández expressed “pride in the country’s science and technology”

President Alberto Fernández today expressed his pride in the country’s science and technology that are taking another step forward, “by leading a new meeting of the Interministerial Table for Research, Development and Production of Vaccines, Treatments, at Casa Rosada. Diagnosis and Other Technologies, made up of the Ministries of Health, Science, Technology and Innovation and Productive Development formed in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the meeting held today, the head of state, together with scientists and researchers, analyzed the latest advances in the production of the national vaccine against COVID-19, according to sources from the national government.

Together with the minister Carla vizzotti (Health), the minister Daniel Filmus (Science and Technology), and the holders of Conicet, Ana Franchi; and of Fonarsec, Laura Toledo, the President learned about the latest advances in national vaccine production projects, among them the “Arvac-Cecilia Grierson”, which in January 2022 will begin with the clinical phase to be able to be produced early of 2023.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the scientists who make up the four groups that work “in the production of immunization against the coronavirus”, the president highlighted the importance of “that we may be able to develop answers for our people” in this matter. of public health and science and technology, and particularly in the research and production of vaccines.

In that sense, the minister Vizzotti and Minister Filmus valued “the strategic gaze” of the President “to give us instruction and support” with the aim of moving forward with the implementation of this commission.

“Very few countries can research and develop a vaccine, for that reason it is a very great pride,” said, in turn, the head of Conicet.

The researchers informed the President of the development status of the different projects and agreed to highlight the contribution of the State and the articulation with the private sector to “advance as quickly as possible in the availability of an Argentine vaccine against COVID-19,” they stated. the official spokesmen.

The meeting was attended by Verónica López, Paula Berguer, Julián Maggini, Eduardo Cafferata, Osvaldo Podhajcer, Daniela Hozbor, Martín Aispuro, Andrés Wigdorovitz, Juan Pablo Malito, Erika Rudi, Daiana Bianchi, Cecilia D´Alessio, Javier Santos, Guillermo Docena, Juliana Cassataro , Mirta Lorena Coria, Karina Alejandra Pasquevich, Ingrid Gisela Kaufmann and Juan Manuel Rodríguez.

The holders of the portfolios that make up the Interministerial Table visited last Tuesday the laboratories of the Institute for Biotechnological Research (IIB-Intech), dependent on Unsam, to learn about the advances of the ?? Arvac-Cecilia Grierson ?? vaccine. developed in a joint effort by the house of higher studies, the Conicet and the Pablo Cassará Laboratory.

“Pre-clinical tests were shown to be effective against the virus and toxicological tests are now being completed at the Center for Comparative Medicine (CMC) of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL). Once completed, they will be sent to the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (Anmat) the protocols of the Phase 1 trial, to be carried out in humans for validation. After being approved, phase 1 is scheduled to begin during the course of January 2022 “, as reported from the Executive.

The “Arvac-Cecilia Grierson” is intended as a “first immunization vaccine or as a booster for people who have received the full schedule of other vaccines and whose immune response begins to decline after a period of more than six months”.

“The formula is based on recombinant proteins, a technology similar to that used in the Hepatitis B or HPV vaccine. Some of its advantages are having greater stability, avoiding conservation systems that depend on ultrafreezers, its easy distribution in national territory and be effective against new variants “.

Ten days ago, the Head of State headed the first meeting of this commission “dedicated to promoting research, development and production of technologies for the diagnosis, treatment and control of SARS-CoV 2, as well as other health technologies.”

The creation of the Interministerial Table was institutionalized on November 16, through its publication in the Official Gazette under Resolution 5/2021, with the purpose of establishing public policies that contribute to the design of a national policy aimed at mitigating the effects of Covid-19, encourage scientific and technological production and increase the capacities of the productive sector?