Abdala (vaccine)

Abdala is a Cuban COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB). It is a protein subunit vaccine, meaning it utilizes a portion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – specifically the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein – to stimulate an immune response. The vaccine is administered in three doses.

Clinical trials of Abdala conducted in Cuba indicated a high degree of efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease. These trials were carried out during a period when variants of concern, such as Delta, were circulating. The Cuban government has extensively used Abdala as part of its national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

While Abdala has received regulatory approval for emergency use in Cuba, it has not been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) or regulatory agencies in countries such as the United States or those within the European Union. The vaccine's efficacy and safety data have been published in scientific journals, although the full dataset is subject to ongoing review and analysis by the scientific community.