The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) approved non-reimbursable cooperation for the US $ 500,000 for the Clodomiro Picado Institute of the University of Costa Rica (ICP-UCR) to support research for the production of a therapeutic formulation of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus and the treatment of patients with COVID-19.
This cooperation is part of the most recent support provided by BCIE to its founding partner countries to face the emergency caused by the Pandemic, with the donation of US $ 2,500,000, distributed in equal parts, between Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
“Since the beginning of the health crisis in the region, BCIE has focused on providing aid of different kinds through the implementation of the Emergency Support and Preparedness Program for COVID-19 and its economic reactivation. We are pleased to know that Costa Rica will use this new cooperation in clinical research, that will make it possible to combat COVID-19”, stressed BCIE Executive President Dr. Dante Mossi.
The first batch of two formulations of antibodies against the Coronavirus produced by the ICP-UCR was delivered this week to the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) for the realization of a clinical trial in patients positive for the Virus. In this collaborative study between the CCSS and the UCR, the safety and efficacy between the two formulations will be compared.
Dr. Alberto Alape-Girón, a researcher who coordinates the Project at ICP-UCR, thanked BCIE for the support and indicated that this contribution will be of great help for the new stage of the research in which the yields will be optimized so that the option of scaling the production of the formulation that shows better performance in the clinical trial can be assessed.
The ICP is a multidisciplinary academic unit dedicated to scientific and technological research, consolidated as one of the main centers for research and technological development on issues related to Ophidian Science in Latin America and the World, and the only producer of therapeutic antivenoms in Central America.
