SRE and health sector collaborate to transfer Indian technology to treat cancer

The Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard, witnessed on Tuesday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian company ImmunoACT, the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) and the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition “Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), through the which the institutions will develop state-of-the-art technology for the cancer treatment.

The foreign minister explained that this agreement will allow Mexico to have access to one of the most innovative technologies in the world.

It is a technology that has to do with immunotherapy to fight cancer. Instead of using chemotherapy or radiotherapy, what is done is to activate cells of our own body against cancer, it is a great step in the medical history of our country, ”he said.

With the signing of the agreement between the holders of the IPNArturo Reyes Sandoval, and the INCMNSZ, José Sifuentes Osornio, as well as Prime Minister Modi and Minister Jaishankar, the cooperation relationship between Mexico and India is formalized to develop research projects, knowledge exchange, capacity building and transfer of technology on novel cell therapies for the treatment of different types of cancer in the Mexican population, the third leading cause of death in the country.

Last April, Secretary Ebrard traveled to India together with a delegation from the health and education sectors with the aim of strengthening the Mexican health system through the negotiation of technology transfer agreements.

“In the IPN we are going to see how to prepare the cells initially, how to have the viral vectors ready to transduce the cells and make them more powerful to kill neoplastic tissues,” said the general director of the IPN.

Reyes Sandoval mentioned that with the INN “Salvador Zubirán” it will be a symbiotic relationship, since they will be in charge of managing these cells.

He added that these therapies, in addition to being an innovative treatment worldwide, make it possible for the most needy people in Mexico to have access to them and that through this agreement they will now be available in our country.

The company ImmunoACT focuses on the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, which have innovated in the treatment of different types of cancer and other diseases such as autoimmune diseases. Currently there are no such therapies in Mexico and they have a very high cost for patients. The company has been given the task of designing therapies with more accessible prices for the well-being of all people.

The event was held remotely from the headquarters of ImmunoACT in Mumbai, Indiaand from Mexico City in the Foreign Ministry building.

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