Prof. Francis Otunta, the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, has confirmed the discovery of a new drug fo
Prof. Francis Otunta, the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, has confirmed the discovery of a new drug for the treatment and cure of HIV/AIDS by the institution following years of scientific research by the institution. He said the breakthrough was made possible by Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, a researcher in the university. According to him, Ezeibe had presented the drug to the University management, Senate and Council, where he explained the processes he went through to arrive at his finding.
The VC also said that Ezeibe had equally presented the drug to his colleagues in the medical field and nobody had contradicted his finding. He commended Ezeibe for the breakthrough, saying,
“He has brought honour to the University and we are proud of him.”
Otunta said the university was in the process of mass producing the drug for further clinical trials on persons living with HIV/AIDS in the country.
Ezeibe, who is a professor of Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Virology, said that the drug was produced with Aluminum Silicate and Magnesium Silicate (Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate).
He said that the two minerals were already in use as medicines for the treatment of various animal and human diseases. He added that 10 persons living with the disease, who volunteered, were made to apply through their doctor to the VC.
“They were treated daily with the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate (50mg/kg).”
Ezeibe said that the volunteers were subjected to monthly tests for viral loads and CD4-lymphocyte counts.
“With the antiviral effects of the medicine, its ability to reach all cells (as nanoparticles) and the lymphocytes, there is no more hiding place (sanctuary) for HIV.”
He said that the medicine had been used to potentiate Ampicilin, Chloroquine, Piperazine and Sulphadimidin, among others, and could be a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria, if approved by relevant authorities.
“Local and international pharmaceutical companies would find the product as a veritable raw material.”
Ezeibe said that he presented the research findings to the World Virology Conference in Atlanta, US in 2015, and Antonio (Texas), also in the US, in 2016.
Besides, he said that the results of the laboratory tests had been published in many international scientific journals, including the British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, among several others. He said that he was also about to sign a memorandum of understanding with a U.S. based Scientific Research Publishing, publishers of World Journal of AIDS, for the publication of his book: “How I came about the cure for HIV/AIDS.”
Ezeibe, who said that the medicine was patented in August 2014 in Nigeria, called on the Federal Government to help him to secure international patency for the drug.
“If commercialised, the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate would become an alternative for petroleum to the Nigerian economy.”
However, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in a message sent through Boade Akinola, the Director, Media & Public Relations at the Ministry of Health, has said that he was not aware of the discovery of a cure for HIV/AIDS by Maduike Ezeibe, a Professor of Virology at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
“I’m not aware of his claims. There are standard ways of disseminating such information. The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, in conjunction with the College of Medicine University of Ibadan, has been mandated to verify two claims of cure for HIV in Nigeria. We shall make our findings public when ready.”
Isaac Adewole
Punch
