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Marc Pharmaceutical HIV Study Leads to Tests on Drug Resistant Strains

Posted on: Friday, 19 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

Aug. 19--A Stamford company with a patent on a new drug molecule says research is showing possible effectiveness against HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. Preliminary data from cellular tests conducted at Cornell University has demonstrated that a derivative of betulinol, made from birch bark, inhibits HIV-1 replication by more than 90 percent with no evidence of harm to other cells.

The research is being conducted under a grant sponsored by Marc Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Stamford, and the early results pave the way for further pre-clinical studies in drug resistant strains of HIV, said Robert Cohen, president and chief executive officer.

Betulinol is a naturally occurring compound isolated from the outer layer of the bark of the white birch tree. Betulinol derivatives are formed by replacing a specific atom or group of atoms within a betulinol molecule. Marc also is funding research with Cornell on the same compound in the fight against prostate cancer.

In May, Marc received a U.S. patent for betulinol derivatives. The patent is owned by the Cornell Research Foundation and licensed to Marc. Though the results show promise, Cohen stressed the research is in the early stages. It will take until the latter part of 2007 before an investigational new drug application is filed with the federal Food and Drug Administration - if testing continues to be successful.

"Although these results appear to suggest a new composition for inhibiting the HIV virus that causes AIDS, additional pre-clinical studies are needed to determine the potential of this new derivative," Cohen stressed. "These early stage test results have not been proven in clinical trials." Cohen, however, is buoyed by the early results, commenting that the betulinol derivative will now be tested on a drug-resistant HIV strain. Results are possible in the next several weeks.

Marc is one of many organizations pursuing AIDS/HIV research, but none seem to be on the verge of a breakthrough, said Kandy Ferree, president of the National AIDS Fund in Washington D.C.

"There doesn't seem to be a magic bullet in the near future," said Ferree, but even preliminary success, such as that reported by Marc, is reason to take notice. "Whenever there are positive scientific results, it's of interest to us who work with HIV/AIDS."

Cohen said he is undeterred by all the competing research. "I welcome anyone who could have a treatment or cure for AIDS. We're hoping to do it with a natural compound," Cohen said. Marc Pharmaceuticals, whose shares are traded over the counter, raised slightly less than $1 million in an initial public offering in April, Cohen said.

Other principals in Marc include Joel San Antonio, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Warrentech Corp., Michael Palfreyman, co-founder of Novace Corp., a network of entrepreneurs providing scientific and strategic management information to the biotechnology industry, and William Tweed, a director of Warrentech, which formerly was headquartered in Stamford.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Stamford Advocate, Conn.

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Source: The Stamford Advocate, Stamford, Conn.

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