As the political tension between Cuba and the U.S. slowly fades, Havana has become a new attraction point for international firms. A number of global companies are searching for ways to enter the Cuban market from Havana and Turkish firms are also getting on the bandwagon. Turkish Airlines is preparing to launch a new destination route, while Turkish pharmaceutical companies have begun to get in touch with the Cubans. The first move was made by the Istanbul-based Hasbiotech, as their general manager Seyfullah Dağıstanlı announced the initiation of the establishment of a pharmaceutical plant in Cuba following a partnership agreement with the Cubans.

Their Erciyes Teknopark-based company will be established in the first months of 2016. Dağıstanlı said that they are planning to produce Hepatitis C shots, stating that there will be a $10.7 million-facility built in Kayseri. The Hasbiotech general manager added that they will be the first in Turkey to produce medication by developing its molecular structure, and they aim to make Kayseri a biotechnology center in the future. Dağıstanlı claimed that they are planning to sell their Hepatitis C shots for about $100, a significantly lower price than the current medication that costs about TL 100,000 ($35,000) for three months of treatment. Dağıstanlı underlined that there are no producers that develop this medication yet, and the necessary technology will be supplied by the Cuban partners. Cuban Ambassador Alberto Gonzales Casals said that Cuba is a world leader in medicine and healthcare sectors with 53 biotechnology institutes that rank them in the top five in that category.