afrol News, June 1, 2004

Global Tech Resource Group (GTRG), a Las Vegas company, today announced it had been granted the exclusive sole sales and distribution agent status in whole of Africa to distribute a vaccine, Lumoer, for "the treatment of AIDS-related chronic infection and a variety of tumours and autoimmune diseases." These diseases are a common result of AIDS and are mostly the direct reason for AIDS-related deaths.

Currently, most AIDS patients are treated with costly antiretrovirals, which have an effect of reducing the HIV virus from taking control so that autoimmune diseases will not occur.

- Although years of research have proven that the vaccine can be very effective in autoimmune cases (cancers and other immune diseases and disorders), one of the biggest benefits of the drug is its low cost, the US company's statement reads. "In many areas of the world where AIDS and similar diseases are running rampant, patients are unable to afford the currently available treatments."

According to GTRG, "Lumoer will help to change that." Normal inoculations with this new treatment, the company says, "will cost a fraction of the typical US$ 15,000 per patient cost." The vaccine however is not a cure, but is able to effectively and dramatically slow or stop many autoimmune diseases from progressing, GTRG emphasises.

The Lumoer vaccine has already been researched, tested and approved by relevant authorities in China, the company says. It is further produced and distributed by a Chinese company, the Boostitan Biologics Company of Guangdong. GTRG nevertheless is to market and distribute it in Africa.

The US distributor is now "developing funding sources" to provide inoculations to aids patients within the coming months. "We are so inspired by the team we've brought together to address this tragic situation in Africa," Commented GTRG founder Terry Warren in a statement released today.

Upon funding, the inoculations are expected to begin in Owerri, the capital of Nigeria's Imo State, the company adds. Inoculations in Owerri will begin "as soon as budgets will allow for the first 2500 patients to be treated. The rate of increasing inoculations will be based on the success of fundraising efforts," the statement says.

Several notables are currently assisting in the fundraising and distribution efforts with this new treatment, GTRG says. This includes South Africa's former Ambassador to Greece and Germany, Samuel Golden, and US Bishop George Dallas McKinney.

The US company however foresees that its modest beginning in the Nigerian city of Owerri soon will lead to greater efforts. After Nigeria, distribution in all of Africa is planned. "We also see in the near future the release of a variation on this product that could actually be given as a childhood vaccine measure to prevent or stop disease like HIV from spreading further," adds Dr Mang Yu, a scientist involved in the research and development of the Lumoer vaccine.

- Our efforts in China and Thailand have proven very positive and we're looking forward to the continuation of distribution and research from this treatment throughout Africa, Martin Wong, another company representative added.

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