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.
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