midas, it does get a bit confusing with so many press releases to remember!
"The first patient in the US in 2004."
"The results of Dr. Moskowitz’s first eight patients will be published soon in a peer-reviewed medical journal."
These were treated last year. Here's the original press release:
89% of Patients with West Nile Virus Encephalitis Responded Rapidly to GenoMed's Treatment; Outlook For SARS Equally Good
ST. LOUIS--(September 30, 2003)--GenoMed Inc. ("the Company" or "GenoMed") (National Quotation Bureau’s Pink Sheets Symbol GMED) reported today on its series of 9 consecutive patients with West Nile virus encephalitis. Eight of nine consecutive patients (89%) had disappearance of symptoms within an average of 24 hours of taking an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), a few as early as 12 hours. Three patients, all of whom responded promptly to GenoMed's treatment, were in the highest risk group for dying, i.e. over the age of 70.
Earlier, the Company reported on 10 patients, but one of the patients, a non-responder, turned out not to have West Nile virus antibodies.
Because of the similarity in the body's response to the West Nile virus and the SARS virus, the same treatment should be equally effective against both diseases.
Dr. David Moskowitz, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, said, "Thanks to my wonderful collaborators in Omaha, Nebraska and Pueblo, Colorado, we've gotten a good picture of what angiotensin II blockade can and can't do against West Nile virus. It can't prevent encephalitis, but it can make it disappear faster. So far we haven't seen any recovery if our treatment is delayed until after a patient is already paralyzed. But symptoms of active infection like headache, confusion, delirium, weakness and fatigue have gone away promptly after starting treatment. The lesson is clear: use ARBs or ACE inhibitors early in the course of the disease."
Dr. Moskowitz continued, "Ten percent of people with West Nile virus encephalitis die; among the elderly, the death rate approaches 50%. In view of these alarming statistics, angiotensin II blockade appears to be a very effective treatment indeed. Our treatment is also available immediately to anyone who wants it, assuming our Internet server is up to the task. Every pharmacy in the world carries ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers. I know of no other treatment for West Nile virus encephalitis that is as safe, effective, and universally available as ours."
Dr. Moskowitz ended by saying, "The same, I hope, will hold just as true for SARS. We'll soon find out. I know we can effectively enroll the entire world in our SARS trial, given the power of the Internet."
The West Nile virus epidemic has already peaked in some states, like Colorado, but may continue into November in other regions. By accelerating recovery from infection, GenoMed believes that its treatment will save additional lives during the course of this year's epidemic.
The recurrence of SARS may have already begun, with a few cases recently reported in Singapore. This year's epidemic is expected to start again in Southeast Asia, where it began a year ago.
