Thai-Chinese anti-HIV drug 89% effective
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-12-13 13:40

Bangkok: A herbal anti-HIV remedy jointed developed by Chinese and Thai scientists has been proved effective in 89 percent of clinical trials, local press reported on Monday.

The clinical trials were conducted on 120 HIV-positive Thai patients, of which 89 percent were proved effective, said Gan Fanyuan from the Kunming Institute of Botany in China's Yunnan Province.

Following research by Thailand and the Kunming Institute of Botany, Thai Public Health Ministry has approved imports of the herbal compound known as SH.

The two sides are now negotiating a deal to export raw ingredients from China and then mass-produce the drug in Thailand.

Production of the drug was a "major breakthrough" in bilateral cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine, Gan was quoted by The Nation newspaper as saying.

"It will play an important role in the global fight against HIV/ AIDS and will popularize Chinese herbal medicine around the world. "

China has reached agreements with the United States and Nigeria over the export of the new anti-AIDS formula.

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