The Belarusian-Slovak program for the development of new anti-cancer drugs will be launched in the Vitebsk region in 2019
Recently, a delegation from Slovakia, headed by Olga Nachtmannová, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport, studied the research and production base of SOOO "Nativita" and discussed tactical steps and promising areas of cooperation in this high-tech field with their Belarusian colleagues.
Along with "Nativita", the project performers include the BioMed research center in the Slovak city of Martin, Vitebsk State Medical University, and the N. Aleksandrov Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Oncology and Medical Radiology.
As explained by Vladimir Sychev, Executive Director of "Nativita", the joint research program focuses on two main areas: dendritic cell vaccines and DNA vaccines for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer, which are among the most common oncological pathologies in Belarus.
Erika Galašová, Head of the Molecular Medicine Department at BioMed: The goal of joint research by Belarusian and Slovak specialists is the personalization of drugs
According to Erika Galašová, Head of the Molecular Medicine Department at BioMed, the goal of joint research by Belarusian and Slovak specialists is the personalization of drugs, where medication is produced based on the patient's cells to stimulate their immune system.
At this stage, a roadmap for project implementation has been developed, in particular, a list of candidates and researchers who will undergo internships in Slovakia is being determined.
The experience of Slovak colleagues in the field of molecular genetic analysis is of particular interest to Belarusian specialists.
“The development of personalized products for combating oncological pathologies is based on sequencing technology, or gene decoding. Thanks to cooperation with partners from Slovakia, our scientists will have the opportunity to master this advanced analytical technology,” noted Vladimir Sychev.
In turn, domestic specialists have accumulated significant practical experience in the treatment of oncological diseases. Thus, the combination of the practical skills of Belarusian specialists with the strong theoretical base of their Slovak colleagues, utilizing the modern production base provided by SOOO “Nativita” for project implementation, will allow for the production of innovative drugs for the treatment of oncological diseases. And another visit of foreign specialists to the Vitebsk region confirms the significance of such a partnership for Slovakia.
As Olga Nachtmannova noted, the two countries have many promising areas of cooperation, and at this stage, it has been decided to focus on four main joint projects.
In addition to agriculture and the production of new materials, medicine and pharmaceuticals have been identified as key vectors, which implies the development of innovative drugs. These issues were discussed during the first meeting of the Belarusian-Slovak commission on cooperation in science and technology, held in Minsk on the eve of the trip to the Vitebsk region.
In particular, it was determined that in early 2019, Belarus and Slovakia will announce a competition for joint scientific and technical projects in the fields of energy, information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, as well as medicine and pharmacy.
A decision on them will be made in the summer, and funding for research will be opened at the same time. Olga Nachtmannova noted that she is impressed by Belarus's capabilities in the scientific field and expressed confidence that expanding cooperation will allow the two countries to achieve significant results.