Millenia Hope Inc., a Biotech Corporation,announced today that it has acquired the global patent rights to develop, manufacture and distribute, for all indications, Tetrandrine from inventor Dr. Knox Van Dyke, an internationally renowned researcher from the University of West Virginia.
Millenia Hope is focused on the development of anti-malaria products and is actively engaged in the fight against this disease that claims nearly 3 million lives every year. In 2002 the global market for malaria was estimated at approximately $10 billion US. Tetrandrine aids the treatment of drug-resistant strains of malaria when administered together with standard therapies.
The Company's interest in Tetrandrine was recently peaked by the fact that Dr Van Dyke is scheduled to present to the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in Geneva, Switzerland. The MMV is a non-profit organization, charged with the mission to identify and fund new anti-malarial medications. Furthermore, Tetrandrine will be tested at the Walter Reed Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., for its anti-malarial properties.
"Tetrandrine adds to our pipeline of products targeting malaria, which include MMH18/MMHMalarex and Malarex, currently in further clinical studies in Africa," said Leonard Stella CEO of Millenia Hope Inc. He continued, "Our collaboration with Dr. Van Dyke, who is a globally recognized authority on malaria, pharmacology, toxicology and several other disciplines, will give great credence and credibility to the Company's efforts in the field, and yield broad scientific and commercial opportunities now and in the future."
Tetrandrine also demonstrates efficacy in colorectal cancer patients in the clinical setting and Phase III FDA trials, in this indication, are ongoing in the United States.
"It's a pleasure for me to share this opportunity with Millenia Hope Inc. Finally, a company whose very essence is its dedication to discovering anti-malarial solutions, by thinking outside the box," said Dr. Knox Van Dyke.
Dr. Myer Sacks, Chief of Pharmacology at Millenia Hope, declared that, "The business world should take an active interest in the anti malarial cause by sponsoring studies for small pharmaceutical companies."
