Adaobi Nze in Umuahia
The Vice Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Umudike in Abia state, Professor Francis Otunta has announced the
discovery of a drug which he claims is potent in the cure of
HIV/AIDS.
Otunta told newsmen at the university campus on Wednesday, February 1,
that the finding followed years of scientific research by the
institution.
He said that the breakthrough was made 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.
“Prof. Ezeibe is a researcher in Veterinary Medicine and one may
wonder how he discovered a drug to cure a human ailment,” he said.
He commended Ezeibe for the breakthrough, saying: “He has brought
honour to the University and we are proud of him.”
Otunta said that 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 “are already in use as medicines for the
treatment of various animal and human diseases”.
He said 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 (50 mg/kg),” he said.
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.
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.
According to him, “local and international medical companies will find
the product as a veritable raw material”.
Ezeibe said that he presented the research findings to the World
Virology Conference in Atlanta in 2015, and Antonio (Texas) 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 is 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.
He said: “If commercialised, the Medicinal Synthetic
Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate would become an alternative for petroleum
to the Nigerian economy.”
However, no international or local clinical tests have been reported,
so it is likely that the discovery is is not yet confirmed.
