It’s official – a Nigerian scientist, Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo 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, yesterday described as “epoch and historical” the production of Antidiabetic Phytophar-maceutical by Nelson in collaboration with the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Research and Development.

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.

THISDAY had exclusively reported on May 23, 2003 that Nelson had been granted a United States patent entitled “Medicament for the Treatment of Diabetes”, a feat that raised hopes for millions of sufferers of the disease worldwide. It also exclusively reported on June 5, 2003 a confirmation from the US Patent Office that indeed a patent had been made out to the Nigerian scientist.

Hong said yesterday at the signing of an agreement between Nelson and GDPAU, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, for the commercialisation of an Antidiabetic Phaytopharmaceutical in Abuja that the drug would contribute to the quality of health care all over the world and boost the economy of the country.

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.

The minister said the drug would expand the landscape of medicare in the world and encourage more researches into herbal drugs in the country.
“I believe that there are so many of such leaves in the bushes in Nigeria that can cure many of these diseases that are proving difficult in the world. This is an epoch and historical day in the history of this country,” he said.

The minister noted that diabetes has posed a serious health challenge worldwide, and is the sixth largest killer in Nigeria.

“There is hardly a house you go to in Nigeria that one person will not be affected by this killer disease,” he said.

He pledged the support of the Federal Government to the efforts of research institutes, especially those who are into herbal medicine research.
Director-General of Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research, Dr. Ufot Inyang, described as unfortunate the inability of the Federal Gove-rnment 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.

“It is an opportunity we have been missing and I don’t want us to miss it again,” he said.

Representative of GDPAU, Prof. Ramesh Pandey, who described the drug as one of the greatest things that will come out of the continent, said it could go a long way in helping to launder the image of the country. He commended the efforts of Nigerian researchers, describing them as one of the best in the world.

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.

A documented proof of the discovery showed that Nelson, who then resided at Plot 574 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, filed his application for a US patent June 4, 2001.

The 'Medicament for the treatment of Diabetes' patent with application No. 09/873,560 was approved March 11 2003.

An official of the United States Patent had confirmed to THISDAY on telephone June 4, 2003 that Nelson was actually granted a patent for his invention of a possible cure for diabetes.

The official, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Robinson, acknowledged that a United States patent with number US 6,531,461 B1 bearing application number 09/873,560 and dated March 11, 2003 was indeed approved for Nelson.

The enquiries at the US patent office followed the interest the story of May 23, 2003 had generated. E-mail dated May 25, 2003 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking to establish the authenticity of Nelson's claim was replied, but with a directive to call the General Information Services Division (GISD) on telephone.

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.

The award to Nelson, a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, was made on the strength of his research, which determined the exact chemical structure of the active ingredient. The research was also able to determine the quantity of the drug, which could be tolerated in the human body, and yet be able to stem the patient's condition.

Nelson’s drug had been subjected to two clinical trials the last being at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH).

At the first clinical trial, the initial extract derived from Vernonia amygdalina was orally administered to 26 patients all of whom had been previously diagnosed as suffering from insulin deficiency. For control, a group of five were used, who maintained diet discipline throughout the trial. The initial extract was dosed to the patients three times daily in 100mg aliquots for six months.

The blood glucose levels of all 31 subjects were closely monitored. It was revealed that the 26 patients receiving the initial extract no longer required maintaining diet discipline after the first month and examination showed remission of the disease after three months.

Fifteen patients were said to have continued receiving medication for the remaining three months of the trial.

The document that accompanied Nelson’s patent application showed that all those who volunteered for the experiment appeared to have recovered from the disease and have returned to their normal life prior to the diagnosis of the disease.

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.

A LOCAL herbal medicament with great potentials in the management of diabetes was unveiled in Abuja yesterday.

The man at the centre of it all, Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson is a researcher into medicinal herbs.

The drug, called ADI, according to experts, presents a major landmark in the global search for safer alternative medicament for the treatment of diabetes.

Nelson is the patent owner of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical.

To begin the commercial production of the drug said to be the first of its kind in the herbal world, Dr. Nelson has entered into agreement with a United States based company GDPAU.

The pact involves signing of a licensing agreement to commercialize the medicament for treatment of diabetes. With the agreement now in place, once the final clinical texts of the drug are concluded the drug would be produced in Nigeria, and distributed across the world.

The drug is said to have gotten the initial nods of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC). The final licence is to be issued, according to the promoters of the drug, when the final rounds of clinical trials are concluded.

Senate President, David Mark and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, described the development of the medicament as a major landmark for Nigerian herbalists who have researching into the use of local herbs to cure ailments that have defied orthodox drugs.

The Senate President, represented by the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Gyang Dantong, described the development of the drug as a success story.

He said, "This is a day that Nigerians should be proud of themselves. We are moving ahead in pharmaceuticals."

He charged parties involved in the commercialization of the drug to ensure that it is available, and at a cheap price, in order to make it affordable for Nigerian.

He was optimistic that when the health bill before the National Assembly comes on stream, it would make the process of clinical trial of drugs easier and less cumbersome.

He continued: "We are sure that the bill will encourage the protection of the patent of producers of herbal drugs. I challenge all the partners involved in the promotion of the drug to do some more work on the specific dosage to be administered on all categories of users."

Minster of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, expressed hope that the drug would encourage local farmers of herbs to generate better income by farming herbs that have medicinal values.

Promising government's support to development of the drug, he called on both parties involved in the agreement to adhere strictly to their parts of the deal.

He said, "The drug has better qualities that makes it more resilient than its orthodox counterparts. Diabetics is the sixth major killer in the family."

The developer of the drug, and owner o the patent, Nelson, thanked all those who contributed to the success of the research into the drug.

He disclosed that about 10 million dollars would be required for investment to get the drug into the world market.

Diabetes is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Blood glucose levels are controlled by a complex interaction of multiple chemicals and hormones in the body, including the hormone insulin, made in the beta cells of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus refers to the group of diseases that lead to high blood glucose levels due to defects in either insulin secretion or insulin action.

Diabetes develops due to a diminished production of insulin in resistance to its effects. Both lead to hyperglycaemia, which largely causes the acute signs of diabetes: excessive urine production, resulting compensatory thirst and increased fluid intake, blurred vision, weight loss, lethargy, and changes in energy metabolism.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no cure yet for the ailment. The injections by a syringe, insulin pump, or insulin pen deliver insulin, which is a basic treatment of type 1 diabetes. Type 2 is managed with a combination of dietary treatment, exercise, medications and insulin supplementation.

Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors (such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight), may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications.

In the developed world, diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly and the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults. Besides, diabetic nephropathy is the main illness requiring renal dialysis in the United States.

It’s official – a Nigerian scientist, Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, has finally found a cure for the dreaded diabetes disease which afflicts over 123 million sufferers all over the world.

spikedcylinder:

Is this drug supposed to cure or [b]manage [/b]Diabetes?

agaba123:

Brash,
See the patent document I attached.

It looks cool even though some patents . . .
The fact that he has entered into an agreement with a company takes it a step further . . .

faoni572:

The drug is to cure diabetes permanently. Most drugs on diabetes are to manage the disease but this one once you administer the dosage it will cure it permanently according to the news

BabaTony:

We have done it again, thank God this guy was smart enough to immediately patent his invention, if not the Americans could have claimed it,and we will continue to believe that nothing good can come out of naija. Nigerians are intelligent, and we prove it over and over again, our govt should provide the leadership and infrastructure for us to be a world power.

Long live Dr. Lious Obio Obio Nelson!!!!!!
Long Live Akwa Ibom State!!!!
Long live Naija!!!!!