Lagos – A Nigerian scientist, Dr. Louis Nelson, has finally found a cure for the dreaded diabetes disease which afflicts over 123 million sufferers all over the world.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong described as “epoch and historical” the production of AD1 by Nelson in collaboration with the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Nelson is the patent owner of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical.
Diabetes is a potentially life- threatening condition in mammals brought about by an inability of the mammals to produce insulin. Insulin, a polypeptide hormone produced in the pancreas of the mammal, controls the amounts of glucose present in the blood by stimulating the uptake of glucose by the muscle and adipose tissue.
The drug, which was said to have been administered on many diabetic victims, has been found to be very safe and highly effective. It was also said to have corrected erective dysfunctions noticed in those victims.
Director-General of Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research, Dr. Ufot Inyang, described as unfortunate the inability of the Federal Government to explore the enormous benefits in the herbal market.
He regretted that although the market had the capacity of generating over $100 billion annually, the country was not taking advantage of it. He said the ongoing global economic crisis would adversely affect the fortunes of Nigerian pharmaceutical companies and stressed the need to focus on the herbal drugs.
The drug will be funded and marketed by a Nigerian company, TREC International Limited. It is estimated that it will cost the company an initial $10 million to deliver the drug to the market.
Nelson recorded a breakthrough in his research for a drug that could cure diabetes when the US government issued him with a patent (No. 6,531,461) for his medication, which can effectively treat Type I and Type II diabetes.
Unlike insulin which has been used for many decades to manage diabetes, Nelson’s “wonder” drug can be administered orally, making it possible for patients to administer it as capsule, tablet or syrup. Insulin can only be injected into the body.
Nelson, 61, who holds a doctorate degree in Molecular and Computational Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, hails from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2001, worked with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council.
Source – Dayo Thomas (Thisday)
This is really a relief for diabetes sufferers. Thr problem is this drug wouldn”t enter the market soon. Or would it?