Well, I have to say, in a word, "no".
After reading the blurb on the site, I know no more than I did about 2 minutes ago. And here is the result of my literature search on "pyloricide":
Current Query
Search : pyloricide --> No Documents Found.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?form=4&db=m&term=pyloricide&dispmax=20&relentrezdate=No+Limit)
The report describes very preliminary studies of a "nonantibiotic" drug but does not state its mechanism of action unless I missed it on the skim.
Rarely is a treatment for a "disease" given without a test, especially when pharmaceuticals are involved. Unless you know how a drug works, you don't know about potential resistance, side effects, or anything. The report did not give any supportive preliminary data so we do not know what kind of efficacy has been achieved, we don't know what humans or animals have been tested in the past, and we don't know how the drug works. Since the article says "in vitro", I presume it has not been tested for side effects in animals. Does it make Mr. Rat's hair fall out? We do not know yet. Does it suppress Mr. Rat's bone marrow? We do not know. You get the picture.
Regarding tests for the organism: How are you going to decide to treat someone for something without proving they have it first?
It can be done in only a few cases but this is not the rule for medical practice. I remain skeptical but interested. If you can find more about pyloricide, I am willing to listen.
This is "way preliminary". My bet is most frugs do not make it out of this stage, but if you really want to know more, call the doctor in NY who is doing the study.
NEWS RELEASE
REFAC BIOCHEMICS AND THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER OF QUEENS SIGN AGREEMENT FOR PILOT STUDY TO INVESTIGATE NOVEL TREATMENT FOR ULCERS
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Title: REFAC BIOCHEMICS AND THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER OF QUEENS SIGN AGREEMENT FOR PILOT STUDY TO INVESTIGATE NOVEL TREATMENT FOR ULCERS
Date: May 05, 1998
Brief:
New York, May 5, 1998 - REFAC Biochemics Corporation signed
an agreement today with The New York Hospital Medical Center
of Queens ("NYHQ") to conduct a joint pilot study to
investigate the efficacy of "PyloricideT", a patented,
non-antibiotic compound for eradicating the bacterium
Helicobacter pylori ("H. pylori"). H. pylori is recognized
as the cause of most ulcers and has also been linked to
gastric cancer. REFAC Biochemics, a new venture formed last
year by REFAC Technology Development Corporation (AMEX: REF)
to explore the commercial potential of the novel treatment,
will provide funding for the pilot study. At NYHQ, the study
will be conducted by Arthur Harris, M.D., Assistant Director
of Gastroenterology.
With this Agreement signed, Dr. Harris will submit an
Investigational New Drug application ("IND") to the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration ("FDA") and it is expected that the
study protocol will be submitted to NYHQ's Institutional
Review Committee for approval thirty days after the IND is
filed. Upon approval by NYHQ's Institutional Review Committee,
REFAC Biochemics expects that the pilot study will commence in
July, 1998. If the pilot study proves successful, REFAC
Biochemics will consider relationships with major pharmaceutical
companies which have the expertise and resources needed to
bring a promising new drug like this to market.
"This is an important step toward proving the efficacy of
an elegant, cost-effective solution to an extremely pervasive
problem," said Ray Cardonne, Vice President of REFAC Biochemics.
"Prior research indicates that our patented approach may be an
effective means of eliminating the H. pylori bacteria that causes
most ulcers and may be a trigger for gastric cancer. Within six
months we expect to have preliminary results of the study, which
we hope will confirm both the medical and commercial potential
of this treatment."
"Preliminary in vitro studies of the new treatment by its
inventors indicate a strong potential for eliminating H. pylori
without the problems associated with traditional antibiotic
treatments," said Stephen S. Mills, President and CEO of NYHQ.
"As part of our on-going research program, we are very excited
about taking the development of this new H. pylori treatment a step
further toward a clinically proven, commercial remedy for ulcers."
Based on a relatively simple, inexpensive compound, the new
treatment represents one of the most promising non-antibiotic
approaches to eradicating the H. pylori bacteria. Recognized
today as a major cause of most ulcers and possibly gastric cancer,
H. pylori is now thought to be the most common human infection in
the world. At least 40 percent of the U.S. population harbors the
bacteria, and about one fifth of those affected eventually develop
an ulcer. Nearly four million people a year suffer from H. pylori-
induced ulcers in the United States alone.
The vast majority of the estimated $8 billion ulcer-treatment
drug market today consists of proton-pump inhibitors and histamine-
blockers, which only address the symptoms of ulcers, and not the cure.
Current treatments for curing ulcers by eliminating H. pylori involve
taking a combination of drugs, which include one or more antibiotics.
While these treatments have been effective, they are difficult for
patients to follow and can induce discomforting side effects. In
addition, recent research indicates there is growing evidence of
resistance by H. pylori to antibiotics used against it.
The new treatment was invented by Dr. Attallah Kappas, the
residing Sherman Fairchild professor at Rockefeller University and
a leading authority in metabolic and genetic disorders, and Robert
Polak, a chemist. Their U.S. Patent and corresponding foreign
applications contain claims that cover both the general method for
eliminating H. pylori and the specific compounds that have been
experimentally used. REFAC Biochemics possesses the exclusive
licensing rights for this treatment and is actively seeking
partners to bring the product to market.
The New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens is affiliated
with The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and is a member
of the New York and Presbyterian Hospital Care Network.
REFAC is a leader in technology transfer and licensing, product
design and development and trademark licensing and consulting. Its
expertise is its ability to transform the earning potential of
intellectual property rights into revenue-bearing assets.
Statements about the Company's future expectations and all
other statements in this document other than historical facts
are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are no guarantees
that the FDA will permit the pilot study to proceed and, if so,
that NYHQ's Institutional Review Committee will approve and
authorize the pilot study to commence. Moreover, there is no
assurance that the pilot study will be successful or completed in
the anticipated time frame. The Company intends that the "forward-
looking statements" contained herein are subject to the above-
mentioned statutory safe harbors. Since these statements involve
risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the
Company's actual results could differ materially from expected or
inferred results.
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