The developer of a Nigerian HIV drug, Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum Magnesium Silicate (MSAMS), Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, has said that the drug has been found to be effective against nine viruses.
Ezeibe, a University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) trained Veterinary doctor, and an ex-lecturer with UNN before joining Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), disclosed this in Aba during an interview with our reporter.
The professor of Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Biology said that MSAMS tested on six RNA viruses (positively charged) and three DNA viruses (negatively charged) including measles, HIV, bird flu, hepatitis B and C was found efficacious in wiping them out.
Ezeibe also said that the implication of this is that the drug could be used to treat other viral diseases in human beings even as it is useful in immune system boosting.
He listed his six drug patents to include Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum Magnesium Silicate, MSAMS, (the antiviral and stabilizing ingredient for different drug formulations), Admacine (antiviral-antibiotic drug formulation for animals).
Others are Franccocine (anticoccial formulation for poultry), Ismerquine (antimalaria formulation) and Bernazine (antheminticworm medicine) Antivirt for HIV / AIDS and other immune deficiency diseases).
Ezeibe called for collaborations from governments and drug companies to enable quick processing of the clinical trials and early commercial production of the drug.
He said: “If there can be collaboration with government and drug companies that is very much welcome because it would help early mass production of the drug.
“This will also help to save the lives of many HIV positive Nigerians who we learnt from our research do not respond very well to imported anti-retroviral drugs.”
The Nsukka-trained professor said that the drug requires passing a final stage of clinical trials to enable its commercialisation that would make it easily accessible to patients in all locations.