Tokyo, Japan.- The vice president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Roberto Morales, on Wednesday chaired the first business forum in Japan to promote the Caribbean island’s breakthroughs and opportunities in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry.

In his opening speech, the top Cuban leader noted that despite big limitations and the United States economic, financial and commercial blockade, his country has bet on boosting that industry as a key sector for the people’s health and national development, the Cuban Embassy in Tokyo informed.

For his part, the commercial and business director of the Biocubafarma Group, Normando Iznaga, explained Cuba’s progress in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the environment and facilities for investments and other commercial activities.

He highlighted the Cuban Government’s efforts to train first-level scientific and professional personnel, the priority given to the national healthcare system and the ‘closed cycle’ concept made up of research and post-marketing institutions, among others.

Biocubafarma Representative in Asia Ricardo Silva referred to the working experiences and the business models implemented in Asia, such as associations to create joint ventures, license contacts and co-development of new products, as well as the joint implementation of project in early stages.

In turn, Eulogio Pimentel, general director of the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB), referred to the production of innovating drugs with a high economic and social impact that allow increasing the quality of life and treat oncological, cardiovascular, brain and neurodegenerative diseases that characterized aging societies like Cuba’s and Japan’s.