Sonic Media Corporation Completes Acquisition of Global Botanics Inc., Including Patents for Natural Treatment of Herpes and Other Viral Infections

CARSON CITY, Nev. --- Sonic Media

Corporation announces the acquisition of Global

Botanics, Inc. (GBI), a company that has patented processes involving the use

of a natural plant extract to treat genital herpes and other viral infections.

Genital herpes alone afflicts one out of four women and one out of five men in

North America, representing some 55 million individuals.

GBI, now a wholly owned Sonic subsidiary, is the exclusive supplier of a

resin extract called Virastatin that is derived from Larrea Tridentata, a

desert shrub indigenous to the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico.

Virastatin is the only patented, natural product on the market targeting

herpes anti-viral treatment, and the only Larrea-based product that is readily

absorbed into the digestive tract for maximum results.

Under a share exchange with GBI's two main shareholders, Sonic acquired

GBI's four U.S. patents, the resin extraction production rights, and worldwide

licensing and marketing privileges to Virastatin. Revenues are expected from

the sale of Virastatin to multiple licensees, royalties on products sold by

licensees, and potential licensing of the extract for use in over-the-counter

pharmaceutical products and possible development of ethical drugs.

Virastatin has undergone 18 years of research and development, including

nearly eight years of informal consumer testing during which more than 3,500

users heard about preliminary products based on the substance through word of

mouth. Open, multicenter studies of oral and topical Virastatin conducted in

1996 indicate an overall 97.8 percent success rate in healing genital herpes and

shingles lesions in patients whose immune systems are not compromised.

In addition, no adverse effects were reported from sponsored in vitro and

in vivo animal studies, the open clinical studies, or from consumer use

reports.

The first six commercially available products based on Virastatin were

introduced late last year by LarreaRx, Inc., a non-exclusive licensee. The

products include dietary supplements, cold-sore lotions and penetrating sprays

sold under the Virox and Shegoi brand names. Virox products are currently

distributed through Tree of Life, United Natural Foods Incorporated and Select

Nutrition in the U.S. and London Drugs, GNC, Overwaitea, Whole Foods and

Thrifty in Canada. Shegoi products are marketed through direct marketing

channels.

The four GBI patents (U.S. patents 5,837,252; 5,945,106; 6,004,559; and

6,039,955) cover methods of extracting the Larrea Tridentata resin as well as

the use of the extracts for treating human herpes viruses, symptomatic herpes

lesions and inflammatory disease conditions. All four patents were issued

between 1998 and 2000.

The patent claims related to herpes treatment encompass cold sores

(herpes simplex 1), genital herpes (herpes simplex 2), shingles (herpes

simplex 3), Epstein-Barr virus/chronic fatigue syndrome (human herpes

virus 4), cytomegalovirus (human herpes virus 5), roseoloviruses (human herpes

viruses 6 and 7), and Kaposi's sarcoma (herpes virus 8).

Source: Sonic Media Corp.