Immunoxel Approved in South Africa
Ukrainian immunotherapeutic product Immunoxel (Dzherelo) has been granted approval in South Africa. This approval will allow immediate sales of the Ekomed phytoconcentrate as an immune adjuvant for TB and HIV treatment.
Kiev, Ukraine (PRWEB) May 25, 2009
Ekomed LLC announces exciting milestone in its expansion of botanical products to markets outside of Ukraine. Dzherelo is now classified under complementary medicines category by the Medicine Control Council (MCC) of the Department of Health of the Republic of South Africa. Negotiations are now underway with potential partners to initiate marketing of Dzherelo in South Africa.
Dzherelo and its improved version known as Immunoxel are top-selling herbal supplements in Ukraine. This year it has been approved in its first Asian market country, Mongolia, where sales have successfully started last month.
Immunoxel has been shown to be safe and very effective in a variety of clinical conditions including but not limited to seasonal flu, influenza, acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV, autoimmune conditions, and malignancies.
Drug-resistant TB is on the rise throughout the world and is most frequently seen in the countries of the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa. The South Africa has highest number of TB cases on the continent, especially MDR and XDR TB cases. The latter form of TB caused worldwide concern after 2007 outbreak in Kwazulu Natal province of South Africa where 52 of 53 patients (98%) with XDR tuberculosis and HIV co-infection had died within 2 weeks from the time of diagnosis.
Conventional TB chemotherapy success rates are significantly lower in patients with MDR and XDR-TB also known as Multi Drug Resistant and Extensively Drug Resistant TB. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) surveys indicated that in the worst-affected countries, 10 percent of MDR-TB cases were XDR-TB. Current treatment of drug resistant TB can take up to 18-24 months. The disease is difficult and expensive to treat and outcomes are frequently poor. No new classes of anti-TB drugs were introduced in past 40 years and existing drugs are practically useless against drug-resistant TB.
The Ekomed Director, Mr. Volodymyr Pylypchuk commented: "South Africa is burdened by one of the worst tuberculosis and HIV epidemics in the world. Our commercial partner Zodiac Capital has been working diligently and we are very excited to announce that that their effort paid off. Our Immunoxel works through completely novel immune mechanism and to the best of our knowledge is the only and most effective adjuvant to TB and AIDS drugs. The approach that we have developed drastically shortens treatment duration and can save countless lives right now. Our clinical studies conducted in Ukraine during last ten years have shown convincingly that we can offer reliable, cost-effective solution to the global TB and HIV crisis. In addition to immediate marketing we are also planning independent scientific studies in South Africa. Our aim is to collaborate with leading hospitals and universities and to share with them our unique expertise. We are confident that results from these trials will provide further support to earlier published findings in Ukraine."
About Ekomed
Ekomed is the leading phytopharmaceutical company in Ukraine and is firmly committed to the development of immune therapies that offer superior advantage in treating TB, HIV, hepatitis, and influenza. Ekomed's efforts to develop adjunctive therapies have been under way since late 1980's. Ekomed began its HIV research back in 1998 and TB research even earlier. Ekomed is one of very few botanical companies that are committed to scientifically-sound clinical and basic research. Ekomed strives to ensure affordable access to phyto-medicines for infectious diseases and other illnesses. Ekomed is also committed to seeking expanded access to people living in the world's poorest countries and those hardest hit by the AIDS and TB epidemics. For more information, visit http://www. ekomed. com. ua (http://www. ekomed. com. ua)
About Zodiac Capital
Last year Ekomed has established a global marketing partnership with Zodiac Capital Limited - a publicly traded investment group listed in Australia. This relationship may potentially assure worldwide global access to the range of Ekomed products and especially Immunoxel, for those who have limited or no treatment options.
Media contacts:
Volodymyr Pylypchuk
CEO and Scientific Director
Ekomed LLC
Pylypchuk @ bk. ru
Www. ekomed. com. ua
Dr. Allen Bain
Director
Zodiac Capital Limited
Allen. bain @ zodiaccap. com
Www. zodiaccap. com
###
