Coronavirus: Prof Maurice Iwu, US sign agreement on research

United States (USA) health agency, Division of Microbiology and infectious Diseases (DMID), an arm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAIDS), has signed a non-clinical evaluation agreement with Prof. Maurice Iwu’s Bio-Resources Institute of Nigeria for the development of medical response to the fast-spreading Coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid-19.

Prof. Iwu disclosed the development to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, during a presentation on Monday, in Abuja. He said there was a need for concrete action to prepare Nigeria and other countries of the world for future outbreak of virus infections.

The 12-page agreement was signed by Dr. Barbara Mulach, a biologist and Deputy Director of the Institute on behalf of NAIDS, while Prof. Iwu, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), signed for Bioresources Institute of Nigeria.

According to the agreement, Prof. Iwu’s Bioresources Institute of Nigeria and the US agency would conduct further study on drugs already discovered, and patented, by Prof. Iwu for the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

In an address titled “Coronavirus: The time to prepare for the next infection is now,” Prof. Iwu noted that during the antiviral bioassays in 2014-2015, it was discovered that the compounds exhibited significant antiviral activity against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-Coronavirus).

He further explained: “I want to formally brief you about our drug discovery project which has led to the identification of potential treatment agent for coronavirus infections. The lead compound is one of the most studied natural products in history with a citation score of 1729 citations in PubMed; 1,725 citations in Scopus as accessed a few days ago. Its pharmacokinetics profile and putative mechanism of action are established.

“We are considering possible dosage forms including a combination product formulation of the three agents (Rhygyfyn) described in our patents as broad-spectrum antiviral drug, identified and developed here in Nigeria. We are set to introduce the products but our only limitation is finance.”

He thus solicited for funding to enable further research and development of a cure for virus infections that may cause havoc in the future.

Prof. Iwu also disclosed that one of the compounds in the discovery proved very effective against SARS coronavirus, stating further that “we have concluded arrangements with the Antiviral Program of the US National Institute of Health (US-NIH) to subject the compound to bioassay against the Wuhan coronavirus (Convid’19).”

He added: “It’s important to note that Covid’19 belongs to a class of viruses that are very common, some are more serious than others. The class includes the flu virus, SARS, and MERS. They are RNA viruses, which allow them to mutate easily and spread between species. SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronaviruses are more lethal than Covid-19.

“We are willing to make available the lead compounds and the phytomedicine, which contain the active molecule, a bicyclic diterpenoid lactone for possible evaluation by other laboratories with appropriate testing facility both in Nigeria and overseas.”

Prof. Iwu, had in the course of execution of a Federal Government mandated to his Bioresources Institute of Nigeria, in 2014, for solutions to Ebola Virus Disease, discovered and developed drugs for the management, and treatment, of a broad range of viruses including SARs, MERS and Coronavirus.