BioWorld International Correspondent

LONDON - British biotechnology companies are being encouraged to form partnerships in Cuba under a United Nations-sponsored collaboration program between the countries.

The program offers a customized support service, covering every stage of the new venture start-up process. Apart from verifying details about individual research projects and potential partners, there will be assistance with business development strategies and help with Cuban market information, contractual issues and trading conditions.

The first exchange in the program took place last month when 10 Cuban scientists and business development executives visited Glasgow to make presentations to Scottish biotechnology companies and research institutions. Another group of Cubans will visit companies next week in Cambridge and Manchester.

John McFadzean, head of the UK Investment and Technology Promotion Office, an arm of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), told BioWorld International, "The Cuban government has put in place arrangements to support collaboration. As is well known, Cuba has invested heavily in its biotech sector and it is now looking to establish joint ventures, which are commercial entities."

A number of preclinical and clinical programs are available for partnering, and the aim is to create five joint ventures in the next two years.

In addition, McFadzean said Cuban institutes are looking for research tie-ups. "Cuba has become a vitally important center for biotechnology research," he said. "UNIDO's new investment promotion program is designed to make it easier for UK companies to engage in partnerships and to capitalize on some very significant commercial opportunities."

The focus of the program is the area around the Cuban capital, Havana, known as the Western Scientific Pole, which comprises 52 research institutions with approximately 4,000 scientists. One institute, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, is advertising 25 programs on its website that are awaiting partnering, including technology platforms, agricultural products and 18 drugs at various stages of development.

Over the past 20 years the Cuban government has invested heavily in biotechnology as part of an integrated health care system. As a result the research institutions have very close links to hospitals and patients, and also to drug development and manufacturing facilities. In total there are more than 100 R&D facilities and Cuba is an acknowledged leader in many areas of medical research. Although it has been very successful in meeting the medical needs of its own population, the 40-year-long U.S. economic embargo means the Cuban biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry has seen limited commercial development.

McFadzean acknowledged that UK companies may be concerned that doing deals in Cuba could affect relationships with U.S. companies. But he said that the collaboration program has the approval of the UK government and noted that the U.S. embargo relates to manufactured goods and not to knowledge or intellectual property. "If you use materials from Cuba and then tried to sell onto the U.S., it would break the embargo, but [exchange of] knowledge and IPR is not an issue."