The Recombinant Interferon Alpha 2B (IFNrec), an antiviral produced by the Cuban biotech industry, is being used by Chinese doctors to treat patients infected by the 2019-nCoV coronavirus, which has affected more than 28,000 people and has killed 564 patients worldwide.

Since Jan. 25, the ChangHeber Company located in Changchun city has been producing the famous Cuban antiviral, which is one of 30 medicines chosen by the National Health Commission for its potential to cure respiratory diseases.

Currently, IFNrec is applied against HIV-related infections, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, genital warts, and hepatitis types B and C. It is also effective in therapies against different types of cancer.​​​​​​​

ChangHeber, Biotech, and Changchun Heber Biological Technology are three companies that have joined forces within the framework of Chinese-Cuban cooperation in the biotechnology sector, which has wide prospects for future economic growth.​​​​​​

The Asian nation battles relentlessly against the coronavirus and its resulting pneumonia. In the absence of an effective vaccine, China applies to patients a combination of state-of-the-art antivirals and products from traditional medicine.

Chinese doctors are also testing new treatments by combining Remdesivir, which is used against Ebola, Ritonavir, which is used to treat HIV/AIDS infections, and Zavesca, which is effective in breaking down certain lipids.​​​​​​