Dive Brief:
- The Roswell Park Cancer Institute in New York will team up with with the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba to develop a lung cancer vaccine with a clinical trial in the U.S., Reuters reports.
- The announcement of the collaboration was made at the end of a historic a two-day trade mission to Cuba led by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who became the first U.S. governor to hold a trade trip to the country since the normalization of relations.
- In December 2014, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced that they would restore diplomatic relations and normalize trade relations. Regeneron CEO Leonard Schleifer and execs from Pfizer were among the business professionals who accompanied Cuomo on the trip.
Dive Insight:
This first foray into Cuba is a big deal, because it represents the end of 50 years of hostile relations. Cuomo spent two days in Cuba with an 18-person team of executive from various companies in the U.S., including Pfizer. Candace Johnson, CEO of Roswell, said that she is pleased to have her company be part of this agreement, which stipulates that the clinical trial for the lung cancer vaccine will take place in the U.S.
In addition to this agreement, NYC-based Infor has found Cuban partners to resell its software in Cuba.