Doctor María del Carmen Domínguez Horta, a researcher at the Cuban Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), received the 2026 Latin American Women in Chemistry Award in the "Leadership in Industry" category. This award was given by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Latin American Federation of Chemical Associations (FLAQ) in recognition of her work in the development of Jusvinza, the first Cuban medication based on a therapeutic peptide.
The announcement was made during the 37th Latin American Congress of Chemistry and the 31st Peruvian Congress of Chemistry, held in Lima, Peru, from October 12 to 15, 2026, the CIGB reported on its social media this Friday.
The "Industry Leadership" category recognizes female scientists in the chemical, pharmaceutical, or biotechnology sectors who have demonstrated sustained innovation, commercial success, and tangible benefits for society, the source indicated.
Domínguez was recognized for leading the design and development of Jusvinza from its preclinical stages to regulatory approval, managing multidisciplinary teams and fostering international collaborations throughout the process.
Jusvinza is an immunomodulatory medication whose active ingredient is a modified peptide ligand derived from the human heat shock protein HSP60. Originally designed to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, the drug gained particular significance during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Center for State Control of Medicines (CECMED) authorized its use in severe and critical patients in June 2020.
After its favorable initial results, its use expanded in Cuban health institutions starting in April 2021, and the project received the Award for Technological Innovation from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment through Resolution 1 of 2021. More recently, clinical trials with Jusvinza to treat residual polyarthritis in patients recovering from Chikungunya have begun.
Regarding the name of the drug, Domínguez herself explained in an interview with Periódico Girón: "I really liked that it was decided to call it Jusvinza, which is just a combination of: Just to save your life and fill you with hope."
Born in Jovellanos, in the province of Matanzas, Domínguez has spent her entire career at CIGB, where she has been leading the project "Development of Immunomodulatory Drugs for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases" since 2000. She is also a founder and tenured professor of Biochemistry at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM), where she trains students from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and is a member of the Committee of Experts and Scientists Against COVID-19.
The award also recognizes her work as a promoter of gender equity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through mentoring, workshops, conferences, and outreach activities in schools and communities.
Recognition comes in a context where Cuba is experiencing one of its worst crises in decades: widespread shortage of medications, prolonged blackouts, and a mass exodus of professionals, including scientists and doctors, who have left the Island and often their professions, in light of the deterioration of living conditions. Domínguez's path represents a remarkable exception within this landscape.
The Latin American Women in Chemistry Award, established in 2021 by the ACS and FLAQ, recognizes outstanding women from Spanish-speaking Latin America whose careers demonstrate scientific excellence, innovation, and commitment to the advancement of sciences. Upon receiving the title of Distinguished Daughter of Jovellanos, Domínguez summarized her philosophy with a phrase that also defines this new recognition: "I have only fulfilled my duty to help others. I am honored by such a distinction, and I will carry it with the Martian conviction that all the glory of the world fits in a grain of corn."
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