US makes embargo exception in cancer drug deal with Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

US makes embargo exception in cancer drug deal with Cuba

1 hour, 11 minutes ago


WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US government has made a new exception in its trade embargo on communist-run Cuba, approving CancerVax Corporation's deal with Havana to develop three cancer drugs created in the Caribbean nation.

Carlsbad, California-based CancerVax announced that its wholly owned subsidiaries, Tarcanta Inc. and Tarcanta Ltd. of Ireland, "obtained the exclusive rights to complete the clinical development of three specific active immunotherapeutic (SAI) product candidates that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway for the treatment of cancer."

The EGFR signaling pathway is known to be an important factor in cancer cell growth in a number of solid tumors related to lung, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers.

"Published data from early Phase 1 and 2 studies of the lead product candidate, SAI-EGF, suggest that SAI-EGF was well tolerated and may increase the survival of patients with advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer," the firm noted in a statement.
(snip/...)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&ncid=751&e=11&u=/afp/20040716/pl_afp/us_cuba_health_cancer

[thebigidea]

1. I'm sure this is 100% humanitarian and has nothing to do with pharma$$$$

[jean]

2. can someone more clever than me trace Frist's involvement in this?

[donsu]

4. yeah, the bushgang is up to something

but the Cubans have smirk's MO and should cast a sharp eye on the doings.

it's a crime that scientists the world over are not free to meet with, communicate with, each other freely. it's a crime that pharms have the power over our lives.

think how healthy the world would be if scientists could network and pharms were not members of the criminal bushgang.

[Mika]

5. Kerry's and the dem party Cuba platform is the same as Bush's

The Dem party doesn't care about this.

"In these times" its not helpful for a Dem win to point out that the Dems own policy is as inane as Bush's.

As a matter of fact Mr Kerry supports the inhumane trade embargo on Cuba and the illegal travel sanctions on Americans.


My point being - the Dem party (in general) doesn't care about rectifying this (its the hard line exile campaign money that counts first).


Example;

This is his/the Dem party Cuba policy platform.

Kerry's stated policy on Cuba:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8848574.htm

Under a Kerry administration Cuba will remain under US sanctions

Under a Kerry administration we will still be travel banned unless our travel is deemed politically worthy by US gov jackboots



Mr Kerry, Tear down the wall!

[jmowreader]

9. I would say the same shit during the campaign...

and when elected, I will follow a completely different path regarding Cuba.

The reason is obvious: You know as well as I do that Bush would not hesitate to call Kerry "a freedom-hating commie liberal who loves Castro and here's proof" if Kerry took a logical stand on Cuba. By saying he'd keep the sanctions, travel bans, etc., he took a talking point away from Bush.

He very well may be planning to retain the sanctions and travel ban, but right now is not the time to throw this piece of raw meat in to Bush.

[ret5hd]

3. HOW CAN THIS BE????

Obviously, this story is a lie, because we all know that Cuba is a communist country, and therefore is backwards and ignorant. As we ALL know, scientists, doctors and researchers are driven SOLELY by the profit motive, and as there is no profit motive in communist countries, there are no scientists, doctors, or researchers in Cuba.

Therefore, this story is a lie.

/sarcasm

[Judi Lynn]

6. Here's more on this unexpected move......

Cuba Is No Cancer Pariah


Associated Press Page 1 of 1

08:38 AM Jul. 16, 2004 PT

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a rare exception to long-standing American foreign policy, U.S. officials have approved CancerVax Corp.'s deal with the Cuban government to develop three experimental cancer drugs created in Havana.

It's the first such commercial deal approved by the U.S. government between an American biotechnology company and Cuba, which has spent $1 billion building a biotechnology program that is among the most advanced in the Third World. One of the three drugs included in the deal attacks a cancer cell in a novel way.
The biotechnology company announced the deal Thursday.

Government approval comes as President Bush toughens the 41-year-old economic embargo against the communist nation. On June 30, Bush implemented new rules that sharply reduce Cuba-bound dollar flows from the United States and curtail visits to Cuba by cultural and academic groups as well as Cuban-Americans.

CancerVax will develop the drugs in its Carlsbad, California laboratories and share profits with the Cuban government if any of the drugs are approved for sale in the United States. CancerVax is a small, money-losing company that doesn't have any drugs approved for sale. It just recently began selling its stock publicly.
(snip/...)

http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,64245,00.html?tw=rss.MED

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday November 25, 05:59 PM

U.S. company seeks to license Cuban cancer drug
By Anthony Boadle

HAVANA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - A Californian biotech company is seeking U.S. permission to license a promising Cuban cancer drug that is barred from the United States by trade sanctions, Cuban scientists said at a biotechnology conference this week.

CancerVax Corp , based in Carlsbad, California, wants to conduct joint research on cancer vaccines being developed in Havana, the director of Cuba's Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Luis Herrera, said.

CancerVax, which made its debut on Nasdaq (NASDAQ: news) on Oct. 30, said in its IPO prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, that it had signed letters of intent with Cuba's Center for Molecular Biology (CIM) and Canada's YM Biosciences relating to the license of an antibody that can slow or halt tumors by acting on the body's immune system.

The monoclonal antibody, which targets a cancer growth factor known as the HER-1 receptor, has been tested in Canada for head and neck cancer with positive results, and is undergoing trials in China and India, CIM director Augustin Lage told Reuters.
(snip)

Cuba has one of the most advanced biotechnology industries among developing countries, with 52 research institutions working on vaccines and therapies for a range of diseases from AIDS to Alzheimer's, and joint ventures in six countries.

A hepatitis B vaccine developed by Cuba is already exported to more than 30 countries.
(snip/...)

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/031125/80/eewux.html

(I've heard of Cuba's hepatitis B vaccine for years, since I started trying to get informed about Cuba after Elián Gonzalez was held hostage in Miami by his CANF-controlled drunken great-uncle.)

[pinerow]

7. Great post...however the resident has decided to lump Cuba into

the so-called 'human-traffiking' crowd like Thailand(coalition partner), Myanmar(coaliton patner), etc.

he will undoubtebly blame Cuba for the wild fires in California, and the genocide in Sudan and for being a member of the NAACP!

:smoke:

[Judi Lynn]

8. Yeah, they've tried that before, at LEAST once, and I think, twice.

They travel from that one to "they're making dual-use biological chemicals which can be used by "turrists.""

Cuban officials laughed at that before, and pointed out problems _Bush has with actual incidences of slavery, prostitution, white slavery, child slavery RIGHT HERE.

Pathetic, silly pResident with WAY too much time on his hands. This wouldn't happen with a President in the White House who actually delegates a lot of work to HIMSELF!

[guajira]

10. Hi Pinerow!

Glad to see you back! :hi:

[Make7]

11. The US would make more exceptions and maybe end the embargo...

altogether if Cuba would just let the US exploit more of their ideas, research, resources, and people. If only Castro would listen to the IMF and sell out the country for a little bit of money, the US would fall in love with Cuba again. I wonder why he won't take these simple steps to a better relationship with America?

-Make7

[Judi Lynn]

12. Cuba was exploited profoundly up until their Revolution in 1959,

when it appeared they wanted a "time out."

Here's a little reminder of how obsessive the greediest, coldest, nastiest people in our country have been since the 1800's concerning Cuba and its population:

We must impose a harsh blockade so that hunger and its constant companion, disease, undermine the peaceful population and decimate the Cuban army.

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/bmemo.htm

This was written by John C. Breckenridge, Undersecretary of the Department of War, Washington D.C., on December 24, 1897.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF your post was done "tongue in cheek," please forgive my misreading. It would seem an excellent post meant as a dry jest.

It gets very hard to tell with some of the temporary pro-right-wing, jingoistic voices we read occassionally as they stop in to offer their informed (or otherwise) opinions on Latin American affairs here.

[Make7]

13. Forgot the </sarcasm> tag. Sorry.

When I said "the US would fall in love with Cuba again", I was indirectly refering to the Batista years. (And the exploitation during that time.)

Did you ever read Adventures in a TV Nation by Michael Moore? There's a chapter called "Health Care Olympics" that explains the segement on his TV show where they had a 'competition' of the health care systems of the US, Canada, and Cuba. Guess who won? That's right - Cuba. But NBC wouldn't let the piece air with that outcome, so they had to change it to Canada being the winner. Too funny. :)

That was an excellent memo you linked to. I at least respect that they stated their objectives and tactics openly. (Not that their motives were any better back then than they are now.) The Department of War seems so much more appropriate than the Department of Defense, the world's liberators of the oppressed peoples and the purveyors of democracy. I wish they would just stay home. They could defend the US borders - maybe then at least the Department of Defense would be an appropriate name.

-Make7

[Judi Lynn]

14. Yessss! SAW the Michael Moore piece before knowing anything about Cuba

just like most other Americans who have also been kept in the dark and fed propaganda! That was a very interesting segment, and I didn't know until later he had been forced to LIE about the results for Cuba by pressure from the gummint.

Speaking of the borders, hundreds of people die every year trying to cross from Mexico along our southern border, and Haitians die, sometimes dozens at a time trying to make the 800 mile trip in old, unsubstantial, boats, jammed into them in large numbers. IF they are caught after getting here, they are deported. Cubans, on the other hand, are offered a veritable pot of gold if they make it ashore in Florida, through the Cuban Adjustment Act:

STATEMENT TO THE SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOREIGN COMMERCE, AND TOURISM
Regarding U.S. Trade and Travel Policy toward Cuba
Presented by
Delvis Fernandez Levy, President
The Cuban American Alliance Education Fund, Inc.

May 31, 2002

(snip)
For us, Americans of Cuban descent, current policy is both a blessing and a curse. Although only 4% of the U.S. Latino community, we have reached unprecedented economic success and political representation in that community and in the U.S. in general. On the negative side, many elements in the policy encourage family divisions and create unbearable situations for both Cubans and Americans.

Under the Cuban Adjustment Act, our privileges extend far beyond what is offered to other exiles or immigrants. Even in post 9/11 times, Cubans reaching U.S. soil, lacking documents or with false papers, have access to a work permit, welfare assistance, U.S. residency, and in due course full citizenship rights. These privileges stand in sharp contrast to the hardships endured by millions of Latin American immigrants; living lives outside legal protection and without political representation. In Hoffman v. NLRB, for example, the Supreme Court ruled that an undocumented immigrant has no right to back pay or salary compensation even if unjustifiably fired from work.

But these privileges also have a sinister side. Once in the U.S., Cuban Americans are restricted to only one visit within a twelve-month period to deal with a family emergency in Cuba. We are also limited as to the amount of and the frequency with which money may be sent to family and loved ones on the island. Parents who abandon dependents in Cuba escape prosecution, but those who do assume parental responsibilities cannot claim income tax deductions generally afforded to other immigrants with dependents in their country of origin.

Today, support for Cuba-policy is fueled more by the perks and turf protection granted to hardliners in the Cuban American enclave of Miami than by what is in the wider interests of all Americans. Federal funded Radio/TV Marti has been granted millions of dollars this year alone, money which is lavished through a patronage system to pro-embargo ideologues, despite the fact that TV Marti is not seen in Cuba and Radio Marti is ignored by 95% of the population. U.S. funds also rain on other groups in the Cuban American community, rewarded for the preservation Cold War rhetoric and policies still directed towards Cuba. These rewards foster dependency on Federal funded funds with ensuing corrupting effect on community life, making it unusually difficult for Cuban Americans to speak out against a policy that is in direct contradiction to American principles of free trade and travel.
(snip/...)

http://ciponline.org/cuba/cubainthenews/newsarticles/scst053102levy.htm

[Make7]

17. Didn't Bush recently change the travel restrictions for Cubans in America?

Now they are only allowed to travel back to Cuba once every three years. I tried looking for the story real quick but didn't find it yet. I did run across this quote from Bush though:

He said Castro's government "has over the course of its 45-year existence repeatedly used violence and the threat of violence to undermine U.S. policy interests. This same regime continues in power today, and has since 1959 maintained a pattern of hostile actions contrary to U.S. policy interests." - USA Today

Is he as poor of a student of history as the average American? :)

Okay I found the new 3 year travel restriction:

Cuban Americans, who were previously allowed to visit their relatives on the island once a year will only be able to go to Cuba once every three years. Their stay in Cuba will be limited to two weeks and they can spend only $50 a day, down from $167. - La Nueva Cuba

If this is his strategy to win Florida in the election, I think (and hope) it will backfire on him. He obviously doesn't know anything about Cuba or the Cuban people and their dedication to family.

Haiti is a perfect example of how politically motivated the decisions by the US government on matters of granting asylum are - the only criteria seems to be the degree to which the US finds the government in Haiti favorable. In the early 90's (if my memory is correct), they went from a policy of sending refugees from Haiti back to the island, to welcoming them with open arms, and then back to refusing to let them into America again. I'd elaborate more and source this, but it's late.

Good night,
Make7

[Judi Lynn]

18. Good points made on Haiti.

It was astonishing in April to know _Bush had our ships forming a blockade to force ALL people fleeing the bloodbath in Haiti right back to shore. It would make the saints weep, I'm not kidding.

Concerning the new travel laws for Cuban "exiles," you're right about the three year limit. This is putting them in a TERRIBLE position, because they CANNOT return to Cuba under any circumstances until three years have passed. If they have parents there still, or children, how can they feel comfortable going to see them now, knowing that if something should happen to their Cuban relatives, they would NOT be allowed to leave the U.S. to fly to the sides of their sick or dying loved ones. This effectively bans normal travel altogether for Cuban-Americans, as they wouldn't want to use up that vital opportunity, should it be needed for an emergency.

He appears to think he's going to go over the heads of the younger Cubans, and the newly arrived economic immigrants from Cuba, and appeal to the people he believes are still controlling the Cuban population in South Florida: the previous wealthy Batista supporters who had to get out of Cuba fast because they were suddenly unpopular during and after the revolution.

Their domination of the mass of Cuban immigrants in South Florida has numbered days ahead. Polls show the younger Cubans support in a majority, normalizing relations with Cuba altogether.

When that older crowd of wealthy, racist, domineering idiots finally cashes it in, whatever politicians in the U.S. are still clinging to the Cuban-Americans for votes and contributions will be strictly adrift without their partners in crime!

[0rganism]

15. So whatever happened to socialized health care squashing innovation?

C'mon, the least these pharmas could do is steal the idea and pretend they invented the drugs themselves. This is just PATHETIC. After decades of proclaiming that countries with single-payer systems are crushing research and development of new technologies, they're buying research from Cuba.

If I were Fidel, I'd be LMAO right now.

[Judi Lynn]

16. No doubt, whatsoever ,the situation warrants it.

It would have been hilarious to these guys: