Kenya: Aids war given boost as GM drug trials start

[Guest guest]

Aids war given boost as GM drug trials start

If India is to adopt this newer manufacturing technology for HIV drugs, then

Kenyans could be called upon to decide whether to take GM antiretroviral or risk

staying without the life saving medicines.

By GATONYE GATHURA gathura@...

Posted Sunday, July 24 2011 at 20:34

The war against HIV/Aids is likely to get a major boost soon from genetically

modified organisms.

In an unprecedented scientific development, the next generation of HIV medicines

will be harvested from GM crops with the first human trials already underway.

Using genetically altered tobacco plants, scientists in the UK have harvested an

HIV antiretroviral in a process they say could dramatically reduce the cost of

medicines in poor countries.

On Tuesday, the UK drug regulatory authority, the equivalent of Kenya's Pharmacy

and Poisons Board, authorised the first human trials on 11 women volunteers.

The development is part of an EU project called Pharma-Planta, which was

launched by a consortium of 30 academic and industrial partners in 2004 to study

the possibility of producing medicines through GM plants.

The trials, the consortium says in a statement released on Tuesday, will test

the safety of a plant-derived microbicide designed to stop the transmission of

HIV between sexual partners when applied directly into the vagina.

A microbicide is any compound whose purpose is to reduce the risk of viral or

bacterial infection. Several of them are in trials in Kenya, targeting HIV

transmission among partners.

Explaining the rationale behind the new drug manufacturing process, the

researchers say current technologies which require fermentation vats containing

bacteria or mammalian cells are very expensive.

Mass production

" However the mass production of medicines in genetically modified plants could

reduce costs and therefore make an important contribution to global health, by

improving access for the poor in developing countries where diseases such as HIV

are a huge problem.

In addition, the simple manufacturing process could be transferred to developing

countries allowing production `in the region for the region', " says the

statement.

Kenya is exclusively dependent on imported HIV medicines mainly from India.

If India is to adopt this newer manufacturing technology for HIV drugs, then

Kenyans could be called upon to decide whether to take GM antiretroviral or risk

staying without the life saving medicines.

It is estimated that globally, there are about 35–40 biotechnology-derived

medicines and vaccines in use and more than 500 drugs and vaccines in different

stages of clinical trials.

Submitted by jfeo

Very good news! This goes along way to suggest the role of GM in our

survival, be it in food or synthesis of medicine.

Posted July 25, 2011 01:26 PM

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Aids+war+given+boost+as+GM+drug+trials+start+/-/105\

6/1207054/-/10729h1/-/index.html

[Guest guest]

Aids war given boost as GM drug trials start

If India is to adopt this newer manufacturing technology for HIV drugs, then

Kenyans could be called upon to decide whether to take GM antiretroviral or risk

staying without the life saving medicines.

By GATONYE GATHURA gathura@...

Posted Sunday, July 24 2011 at 20:34

The war against HIV/Aids is likely to get a major boost soon from genetically

modified organisms.

In an unprecedented scientific development, the next generation of HIV medicines

will be harvested from GM crops with the first human trials already underway.

Using genetically altered tobacco plants, scientists in the UK have harvested an

HIV antiretroviral in a process they say could dramatically reduce the cost of

medicines in poor countries.

On Tuesday, the UK drug regulatory authority, the equivalent of Kenya's Pharmacy

and Poisons Board, authorised the first human trials on 11 women volunteers.

The development is part of an EU project called Pharma-Planta, which was

launched by a consortium of 30 academic and industrial partners in 2004 to study

the possibility of producing medicines through GM plants.

The trials, the consortium says in a statement released on Tuesday, will test

the safety of a plant-derived microbicide designed to stop the transmission of

HIV between sexual partners when applied directly into the vagina.

A microbicide is any compound whose purpose is to reduce the risk of viral or

bacterial infection. Several of them are in trials in Kenya, targeting HIV

transmission among partners.

Explaining the rationale behind the new drug manufacturing process, the

researchers say current technologies which require fermentation vats containing

bacteria or mammalian cells are very expensive.

Mass production

" However the mass production of medicines in genetically modified plants could

reduce costs and therefore make an important contribution to global health, by

improving access for the poor in developing countries where diseases such as HIV

are a huge problem.

In addition, the simple manufacturing process could be transferred to developing

countries allowing production `in the region for the region', " says the

statement.

Kenya is exclusively dependent on imported HIV medicines mainly from India.

If India is to adopt this newer manufacturing technology for HIV drugs, then

Kenyans could be called upon to decide whether to take GM antiretroviral or risk

staying without the life saving medicines.

It is estimated that globally, there are about 35–40 biotechnology-derived

medicines and vaccines in use and more than 500 drugs and vaccines in different

stages of clinical trials.

Submitted by jfeo

Very good news! This goes along way to suggest the role of GM in our

survival, be it in food or synthesis of medicine.

Posted July 25, 2011 01:26 PM

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Aids+war+given+boost+as+GM+drug+trials+start+/-/105\

6/1207054/-/10729h1/-/index.html