The Cima University of Navarra and the business Berry Superfos, located in Orkoien, have launched a charitable initiative to help stop the spread of COVID-19 among the most needy groups. The project consists of providing "San Fermín 208" hydroalcoholic gel (or disinfectant) to various homes for the elderly in the Comunidad Foral. In its first submission 20 bottles of 750 ml have been donated to the residences Amavir Oblatas and Amavir Mutilva, in Pamplona, and today they will be received by group Idea and the convent Las Blancas. The two organizing entities are working to extend this donation to other residences in Navarra.

The idea arose spontaneously out of an internal need at Cima. "Due to a shortage of disinfectant gel supplies, we researchers at laboratory 208 of Cima started to make small-scale doses to distribute within the center. Gradually, we began to consider the possibility of helping more people, since we had the necessary products and the qualified staff to make larger volumes, following the World Health Organization's guidelines. This is how the disinfectant gel "San Fermín 208" was born, in honor of our patron saint and the name of our laboratory", explains Dr. Antonio Pineda-Lucena, director of the Molecular Therapies Program at Cima.

The business Berry Superfos, dedicated to the manufacture of sustainable packaging, learned about this initiative and provided Cima with a pallet of bottles for bottling the gel. "It is fortunate to see how with so little we can help people who may need it in circumstances like this. We feel very fortunate to contribute a drop to the "San Fermín 208" gel. And we are confident that it will serve as a catalyst for many small initiatives that will make up a very large whole, so that we can curb the effects of this pandemic. Together we will succeed," says Miguel Castiella, director of the Berry Superfos plant in Orkoien.

partnership of various institutions

Several people and institutions have collaborated in the preparation of the "San Fermín 208" gel in a completely disinterested manner. On the one hand, Elena Sáez, technician of laboratory 208, which is directed by Dr. Pineda-Lucena, and Carlos Embid, manager of General Services of Cima, who have actively participated in the preparation of the gel and in the labeling of the containers. "In addition, following our company's global appeal to this subject of initiatives, we have the support of Manuel Garcia(Berry Bramlage) and its distributor, Envaselia (Madrid)," explains Miguel Castiella.

financial aid The coordinators of this solidarity initiative would also like to thank the volunteers of Tantaka, Banco de Tiempo Solidario of the University of Navarra, who participate in the coordination of donations with those responsible for the residences, and the Policía Foral, which is distributing the containers during this period of travel restrictions.

"Finally, I would like to emphasize the constant support of the management team at Cima for the implementation of this initiative, and the efforts of all the people who, despite the uncertainty and concern, continue to work on different essential activities. Among them, I would like to highlight our colleagues at Clínica Universidad de Navarra and the entire healthcare team," says Dr. Pineda-Lucena.