2023-07-14 09:40:31
BCG is currently the only vaccine on the market to treat tuberculosis. This infectious disease is the one that causes the most deaths in the world. For this reason, it is urgent to develop new inoculations that help tackle this bacterium. In this process, for being the first and meeting expectations, one of the best positioned is the Galician company Biofabri. His vaccine grants 50% more immunity and has just been endorsed by the German government.
“We are talking about the infectious disease that causes the most deaths per day in the world,” without taking COVID into account. This is the information given by Esteban Rodríguez, CEO of Biofabri, when he refers to tuberculosis. More than 4,000 people die in 24 hours due to this bacterium, which does not have a fully effective treatment, at least for now. Because this Galician company has just received the support of the German government: “it is one more step, it contributes in a significant way, not only because of the money, but because they are very prestigious entities”, and for Esteban this is an important message which places inoculation in the front row.
The current BCG vaccine, created more than a hundred years ago, “is for children, in adults it does not have any type of protection.” MTVBAC, which is the name of the vaccine from the company headed by Esteban, has a “microbacterium from human tuberculosis, it is a genetic endowment 50% higher than that of bovines”, an organism from which BCG is derived. This will provide “greater immunity”, in addition to being effective “also in adults”, for this reason “for the German government it is the best alternative to fight against tuberculosis in future years”, highlights Esteban Rodríguez.
The aid, which translates into financing of 9.2 million euros for its development, is channeled through IAVI. Both this entity and the Teutonic government itself are a compelling reason to trust it. Now, they will be able to continue with phase III clinical trials in children: “if expectations are met, in two years it will have demonstrated its efficacy.” This in minors, because in adults “phase IIb begins before the end of the year, and by 2025 or 2026 the two assessments could coincide and their efficacy will also be known”, the CEO of Biofabri points out optimistically.
Even so, this is a small, important part of the large financial outlay that vaccines need to finish developing. “One more aid within the financial needs to finish phase III,” insists Esteban, who points out that the “T. END Foundation is the one who capitalizes the 30 million euros necessary to finish the tests.”
A more powerful vaccine than the current one that could take two years to be commercialized. “We do not speculate,” says Rodríguez, and makes it clear that vaccines against “these diseases will not make you a millionaire, but you do contribute effectively.” The idea is that, when it is available, it will be for the entire planet, being one more help to end a bacterium that kills 1,500,000 lives a year.
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