Centre for Biomolecular Chemistry

The Centre for Biomolecular Chemistry (CQB) was a specialized Cuban biotechnology institution focused on the development of synthetic vaccines and advanced chemical synthesis. Established in 2008 through the merger of the Center for Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Synthetic Antigen Laboratory of the University of Havana, the CQB gained global recognition for creating Quimi-Hib, the first conjugate vaccine produced using a fully synthetic carbohydrate antigen. This breakthrough demonstrated the potential of synthetic chemistry to replace traditional bacterial fermentation for vaccine production, offering higher purity and lower costs. In 2015, the CQB was merged with the Finlay Institute to form the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV), where its expertise continues to drive the development of next-generation conjugate vaccines, including the pneumococcal vaccine Quimi-Vio.