AIDS TREATMENT NEWS No. 057 - May 20, 1988
John S. James
The developers have made impressive claims for efficacy, and widespread news reports have generated much interest. But "MM-1" is only a code name; the developers have not revealed what the substance is. Therefore other physicians and scientists have been unable to evaluate the treatment. Most observers have kept a healthy skepticism, while agreeing that MM-1 is certainly worth a closer look.
The Claims
A one-page report from four physicians (reference below) outlined results of a test with 49 patients. MM-1 was given as one intramuscular injection every other day for 10 injections, followed by one every third day for the remaining 10.
No side effects were reported. Nine of the 49 patients died, mostly from advanced opportunistic diseases which they had before beginning treatment. The other 40 "were considered as cured and are conducting a normal life since completion of the treatment six to 10 months ago. Meanwhile, all of the 40 control patients died during the first six months."
Other Published Information
Wire-service reports published in newspapers last Fall quoted one of the physicians who developed MM-1 as saying the drug is inexpensive, and should cost about $10. per injection.
The developers have not revealed what the code name "MM-1" stands for. Rumors in Zaire were that the abbreviation stood for "Mobutu-Mubarak-1", named after the leaders of Zaire and Egypt.
Unpublished Information
We heard the following from confidential sources which seem credible, but is not well known to us. We have not been able to confirm this information independently.
We have heard:
* That there is one side effect--a high fever, 102 to 103 degrees, 20 minutes after each injection.
* That the developers are so concerned about secrecy that patients remain in a hospital throughout the treatment, lest someone get their blood analyzed and learn what the chemical is.
* That the "cure" may not be permanent; no one knows how long it will last. Apparently at least one person has received the treatment twice.
Speculation
It is widely believed that MM-1 is a commonly available substance. The reason for secrecy may be that the secret is all the developers have to sell.
The fact that the one alleged side effect--the fever--was not reported in published material suggests that it might be an important clue. It is even conceivable that the drug works by inducing a fever. Perhaps the fever, or the body's reaction which produced it, had a beneficial effect.
This speculation is consistent with the "honeymoon" period which often follows a first attack of pneumocystis, which causes high fevers. Fevers induced by drugs could be adjusted and scheduled for optimum benefit, without the antigenic stimulation and other disadvantages of fevers produced by a serious disease. A number of experimental treatments for AIDS do in fact cause fevers; could that be responsible in part for their benefit? This possibility deserves a closer look.
Attempts To Learn More
NIAID (the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease) has committees to seek AIDS drugs for testing. It sent a letter to one of the African physicians, but had not heard back yet.
The buyers clubs in New York and San Francisco raised the money to send a physician to Africa, if such a trip will be productive. At least one U.S. health-care worker has already traveled to either Egypt or Zaire to learn more about MM-1.
More information may be released at the Stockholm AIDS conference, June 12-16.
References
Z. Lurhuma, A. Shafik, M. Diese, and J. Wane. Role Of MM-1, an Antiviral Agent In the Treatment Of Patients With AIDS. (This one-page summary has the latest information we have seen.)
An earlier article with the same authors and title was published in The Egyptian Medical Journal, Volume 4 Number 3, October 1987.
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