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Cambridge Major to Support Anti-Malaria Program in D.R. Congo

Novel Plant Remedies Show Great Promise in Treating the Deadly Disease

 

October 27, 2005, Germantown, WI USA: Cambridge Major Laboratories today announced its intent to support research performed at the University of Kinshasa (D.R. Congo) under Professor K.M. Taba. The purpose of the work is to better understand and to progress the use of plant remedies that possess potent anti-malarial activity, as well as identify the active compounds within them. The collaboration will also pave the way towards synthesis and testing of the active compounds to better understand their pharmacology and potential use as a cure for a myriad of other diseases. The groundbreaking research could lead to inexpensive and highly effective products to combat the disease which kills millions annually in under-developed countries worldwide.

The work is focusing on a more fundamental understanding of plant remedies that show high inhibition of the plasmodiums that keep the malaria parasite alive in the body. Some plant remedies such as Philantus niruri and Ocimum gratissimum show inhibition equal to that of traditional synthetic anti-malarial therapies such as Chloroquin, Mefloquine, Amodiaquine, and Quinine. The advantage of the plant extracts lies in their low cost, and abundant availability in the most severely affected areas of the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

“Professor Taba has shown in formal studies that certain plant remedies show activity near that of traditional synthetic medicines,” said Michael W. Major, President and CEO of Cambridge Major Laboratories. “Unfortunately there are problems with the funding mechanism in Africa, and a large portion of the resources, technology, and finances do not reach their intended targets. Our intent is to bring aid and resources directly to the researchers on the front lines in the fight against this deadly disease. This collaboration presents an opportunity for CML to support Dr. Taba’s work financially, but we will also be providing equipment and services to help progress the studies.”

Financial terms of Cambridge Major’s funding of the collaboration are not being disclosed. The Company will also facilitate the transfer of donated resources including equipment, lab supplies and services from Cambridge Major, as well as from academia and other firms. Inquiries regarding contributions to the program can be sent to malaria@c-mlabs.com. Cambridge Major has also facilitated collaboration between Professor Taba’s group and other academics such as James Cook, University Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Professor Cook has pledged to help with structural elucidation studies in support of the program. Professor Cook said, “We have been interested in the use of natural products to treat malaria for some time. In addition, we have all the instruments required to do NMR spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, as well as experience in structure determination. This is an exciting area of research and we are happy to be involved.”

“Having an open account in the US where we can secure chemicals, equipment and supporting services guarantees that not a single penny will be used for purposes other than the research, and will allow us to move our program forward.” said Prof. Taba. “Further, having the equipment and materials shipped to us on a moment’s notice will enable much more rapid progress. Worth mentioning is the positive attitude of the scientific community associated with Cambridge Major, giving us access to state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and unlimited intellectual horsepower” adds Professor Taba. “I am positive that having this support will enable us to make significant breakthroughs in our quest against malaria.”

About Malaria
Malaria is one of the planet's deadliest diseases and one of the leading causes of sickness and death in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization there are 300 to 500 million clinical cases of malaria each year resulting in 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths. Children aged one to four are the most vulnerable to infection and death. Malaria is responsible for as many as half the deaths of African children under the age of five. The disease kills more than one million children - 2,800 per day - each year in Africa alone. According to material from Third World Network Features, in Africa alone, direct and indirect costs of malaria amounted to US $800 million in 1987 and reached US $1.8 billion annually by 1995.

About Cambridge Major Laboratories
Cambridge Major Laboratories, Inc. (www.c-mlabs.com) is a service-based chemistry outsourcing partner to the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, producing pharmaceutical intermediates, API’s, and other fine organic chemicals. Specializing in chemical process development and advanced multi-step organic synthesis, the Company operates a new, state-of-the-art facility near Milwaukee, Wisconsin including process chemistry laboratories, kilo labs, mini-plant suites, main plant bays, and complete analytical laboratories. The Company has been FDA inspected and approved for cGMP manufacturing.

 

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