The Bio-Resources Institute of Nigeria (BION) President, Prof. Maurice Iwu has on Monday disclosed that he has discovered a possible drug for the treatment of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Prof. Iwu made the disclosure when he led a team of scientists to present the discovery to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mohammed Abdullahi, and Minister of State for Health, Dr Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora in Abuja.
Iwu who is a Professor of Pharmacognosy said the drug compound shows antiviral activities against the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) of 2003, which is worse than Covid-19.
“I am here to formally brief you about our drug discovery project, which has led to the identification of a potential treatment agent for Coronavirus infections,” the Prof. said.
“Your Excellency will recall that when the Ebola virus infection broke out in 2014, many people were surprised that our research group had an experimental lead compound that was identified 15 years earlier in 1999.
“And now with the emergence of a novel Coronavirus in 2019, we had identified and patented a possible treatment back in 2015.
It is very important that we must remain ahead of these emergent infections through research,” he added.
He further explained that the Institute has concluded plans with the Antiviral Program of the US National Institute of Health (US-NIH) to test the drug, adding that BION has also carried out a Non-Clinical Evaluation Agreement (NCEA) with the US.
“We are considering developing the three products together so they become the first broad-spectrum antiviral agent coming out of Nigeria.
“We want to plead with you to appeal to Nigerians for their support so that we can develop our own medicine and have medicine for coronavirus instead of waiting and using that from other places.
“We are willing to make available, the lead compound which we have isolated,” Professor Iwu said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Science and Technology has said that BION's discoveries have been sent to the Special Committee on the Nigerian Academy of Sciences for necessary processes.
