Lithuanians announce that they have developed a drug for the coronavirus: it may become the first in the world

“We gave it to the Swiss for clinical trials. Such that [į klausimą], whether a coronavirus drug has been manufactured in Lithuania, I can say that it has been manufactured to such a level that it is now in clinical trials, ”said Vladas Bumelis, chairman of the board of Northway Biotech, satisfied with the news. .

Whether the drug is effective should be clear by the end of this year. The company is beginning to develop another type of drug for COVID-19.

“We will also start to do something else with the American company from scratch,” promised V. Bumelis.

The drug developed in the Lithuanian laboratory may become the first in the world.

“There are no drugs against coronavirus. The ones we create will still have to emerge because not everyone will want to get vaccinated. But if you haven’t been vaccinated and you get infected, you have someone to deal with,” said V. Bumelis.

The company also has other big plans to produce COVID-19 vaccines in Lithuania. According to V. Bumelis, his company could develop the vaccine from scratch, but it would take a long time.

V. Bumelis wrote letters to three European commissioners and announced that the already developed vaccines could be produced in Lithuania; the company only needs a vaccine bottling line, but the Latvians will have it soon.

“We are the active substance, the brothers are the bottles. Here we could add many of these vaccines not only to the Baltic countries, but also to Europe ”, thinks V. Bumelis.

The European Commission is preparing a plan for mass production of vaccines in Europe and is looking for companies that can do so, but several Lithuanian companies could produce separate components for COVID-19 vaccines.

“The most promising and largest way, in my opinion, feasible is to agree with the developers and open only additional production lines here, where it would be possible to just do the final stage of both component production and final production. [vakcinos]”Commented Gintautas Gylys, Director of Immunodiagnosis.

The only question remains whether the companies that developed the vaccines will share the vaccine formulations.

“Most of those formulas are a mystery and a key competitive feature of knowledge,” Gylys said.

Bumelis, who wants to produce vaccines, says he feels the prime minister’s shoulder in talks with the European Union.

“The government is also considering how to guarantee vaccine production in Lithuania. That is what I can say today,” said Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.

According to the Minister of Health, the need to produce covid the measures will only increase. This is a great opportunity for Lithuania.

“I think that the problems of test production, let’s say, will arise more and more frequently, because Lithuania is known as a strong country in terms of its scientists in that field,” said Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys.

But scientists say they have a bitter experience when Lithuanian innovations are not needed in Lithuania.

The company “Immunodiagnostika” is already producing antibody tests and is finalizing the tests that will show whether the immunity is due to a vaccine or a disease. But most of the tests must be sold abroad.

“It is unpleasantly surprising that public services and the institutions that use them buy better products made elsewhere than in Lithuania, although our price and features are often significantly better than other manufacturers. Perhaps because it is very difficult to be a prophet in your own country? ”G. Gylys guessed.

After informing the European Commissioners that he wanted to produce vaccines in Lithuania, the director of Northway Biotech, V. Bumelis, attracted the attention of Lithuanian politicians.

“He said, ‘Professor, can we go see the ones in your pots?'” Bumelis recalled.

The Minister of Economy and Innovation will be present.

“I hope so. You showed up. Probably no one thinks I have to,” V. Bumelis joked.