On September 24, 2026, Cuban medical and scientific researchers announced promising top-line results from a Phase 3 clinical trial of Jusvinza, a homegrown biologic therapy developed by the island nation’s Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), confirming its superior performance in treating post-acute and chronic Chikungunya virus infections compared to conventional care.
The multi-institutional research initiative, codenamed Project Fénix, spanned three sequential clinical trial phases and brought together leading Cuban health institutions: CIGB, Diez de Octubre Clinical-Surgical Teaching Hospital — a national reference center for arthritis care — and Havana’s Clínica 1 de la Lisa. The Phase 3 trial, which launched in mid-March 2026, enrolled 300 patients across treatment sites. Participants received nine subcutaneous doses of Jusvinza over a 45-day treatment period.
Findings were presented during a regular working meeting between Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and the country’s leading scientists and public health experts. Dr. Julio Baldomero Hernández, Director of Clinical Research at CIGB, told attendees that 80% of trial participants — 240 out of 300 total patients — achieved full remission or low disease activity by the end of the 45-day treatment window. This marks an absolute improvement of more than 45 percentage points over outcomes from historical control groups receiving standard conventional care.
At the 12-week post-treatment follow-up assessment, the share of patients with either recovery or sustained low disease activity climbed to 86.7%. This rate far outpaces the 50% efficacy benchmark reported in earlier observational studies and for existing conventional Chikungunya treatments. Crucially, the trial confirmed Jusvinza delivers consistent benefits across all patient subgroups: it works for individuals in early post-acute stages of infection as well as those with long-standing chronic Chikungunya, significantly outperforming both the untreated natural progression of the disease and standard treatment protocols, Dr. Hernández emphasized.
Originally developed to target rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, Jusvinza has already established a track record of broad clinical utility. It previously played a key role in Cuba’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating efficacy in managing a range of inflammatory virus-related complications.
While the Phase 3 trial results are overwhelmingly positive, the therapy has not yet received regulatory approval for widespread clinical use. Researchers plan to imminently submit a full marketing and clinical use application to Cuba’s national regulatory body, the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices (CECMED), to secure the necessary authorization for general therapeutic use.