Skip to main content

HIV/AIDS: Michael Okpara University Discovers New Cure


 Prof. Francis Otunta, the Vice Chancellor (VC), 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.
Otunta told newsmen at the university campus on Wednesday that the finding followed years of scientific research by the institution.

He said that the breakthrough was made by one 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 findings.

The Vice chansellor also said that Prof. Ezeibe had equally presented the drug to his colleagues in the medical field and nobody had contradicted his findings.

“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 Vice chancellor
“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 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 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 also 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”.

Prof. 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.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

NIGERIAN SENATE REJECTS BUHARI'S CHOICE FOR INEC REC JOB

One of the three nominees for the position of Resident electoral commisioner,  Ahmed Mahmud, screened by the Senate on Thursday was rejected. His name was  included in a list of nominees President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded to the Senate for approval.  Senator Sulieman Nazif, representing Bauchi north, led the opposition against Mahmud. Nazif told his colleagues that Mahmud did not have the backing of his state governor, Abdullaziz Yari, and some stakeholders. However, two other nominees sailed through the screening process. They are Rufus Akeju and Mahmud Isah, who were nominated as the RECs representing Lagos state and Kebbi state respectively.

RUSSIA 2017 WORLD CUP: NIGERIAN COACH NAMES AUTOMATIC MEMBERS OF HIS SUPPER EAGLES SQUAD

Nigerian supper Eagles caoch Gernot Rohr, has indexed country wide group players who will automatically make his crew for the 2018 FIFA international Cup tournament in Russia. They include captain John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Balogun and William Troost-Ekong.  “we have a few very experienced gamers, inclusive of our captain John Obi Mikel (Tianjin Teda, China). Our significant defenders William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor, Turkey) and Leon Balogun (Mainz, Germany) are also very important to us,” the Eagles educate said in an interview with football Laduma.  “we have players together with Victor Moses (Chelsea, England) and Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England) – they're also very crucial for us. “we've got many younger players, and all people has a role to play in our team. “however the maximum essential leaders are our captain Mikel, the vice-captain Ogenyi Onazi, and Ahmed Musa also.

BILLY GRAHAM, evangelist AND COUNCELOR TO PRESIDENT IS DEAD

Billy Graham, the charismatic North Carolina pastor who took his evangelizing crusades around the country and the globe, died on Wednesday morning, according to officials of his organization. He was 99. Graham achieved a reach unlike any other evangelist, serving as a counselor or minister to a dozen U.S. presidents. He preached to an estimated  215 million people in 185 countries  around the world during his life, and his message reached millions more as he maintained a near-constant presence on radio, television and the internet. Graham also wrote more than two dozen books, including his 1997 memoir, "Just as I Am," which was a New York Times best-seller. Graham was a steady presence among top leaders in this country, providing prayer and personal advice to every president starting with Harry S. Truman. In recent years, he took on a reduced role, but still earned the praise of President Donald Trump, who in a tweet after Graham's death called him the "GR...

MTN to Sell 30% of its Nigerian Company proposes $500b IPO on NSE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday confirmed that MTN Group had finally commenced discussions with the commission on its proposed 500 million dollars Initial Public Offering (IPO). A senior management staff of SEC who pleaded anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that MTN had commenced discussion with the commission on the IPO. The source told NAN that although talks were ongoing, the company was yet to formally file its application for the IPO. He said the commission was committed to investors’ protection, and that their interest would be protected in the ongoing discussion. The source said SEC would remain committed to the development of the nation’s capital market and listing of more multinationals. Another source at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), who declined to be mentioned, also told NAN that the NSE had not yet received an official filing from the company. There were reports recently that MTN Group Ltd. was perfe...

Breaking: Queen Elizabeth to Step down, Names her successor

Just in : The longest-standing British monarch is preparing to take her final curtsy. Queen Elizabeth, who turns 92 years old tomorrow, issued a formal request for the Commonwealth Heads of Government to appoint her son, Prince Charles, as her successor during an official meeting at Buckingham Palace yesterday. She said, “It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949.” The monarch went on to say that she hopes Prince Charles will carry on her legacy, adding, “By continuing to treasure and reinvigorate our associations and activities, I believe we will secure a safer, more prosperous and sustainable world for those who follow us: a world where the Commonwealth’s generosity of spirit can bring its gentle touch of healing and hope to all.” Prince Charles is the first in a long list of heirs to ...

Harry Kane breaks league goal Records, overtakes messi

Harry Kane set a new record for the most Premier League goals in a calendar year as the Tottenham forward scored for the 37th time in 2017. Kane’s 22nd minute header against Southampton at Wembley on Tuesday took him past Alan Shearer’s previous record, which was set when he played for Blackburn in 1995. The 24-year-old admitted he was keen to break Shearer’s record after he moved level with the former England star with a hat-trick in Tottenham’s win at Burnley on Saturday. Kane now has 22 goals for Tottenham in all competitions this season.