Nerve gas poisoning emerges as a completely new therapeutic use for galantamine, the versatile compound with a long and world-wide track record in Alzheimer's dementia. On August 1, Countervail Corp. (Marlton, NJ) has announced the acquisition of exclusive development and marketing rights for galantamine in this hitherto unrecognized application.
Experts have already suggested a multitude of potential uses, and estimate that the associated requirement for galantamine will be several times of what is currently consumed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Galantamine could assume am important role concerning nerve gas poisoning in the military as well as in civilian emergency preparedness and homeland security. Another significant requirement for galantamine as an antidote is in agriculture, where insecticides with a mode of action resembling that of nerve gases are frequently aerosolized without proper protection of laborers. Especially in less developed areas, insecticide poisoning is a common event resulting in death or lifelong disability.
Tabun, Sarin, Soman and VX are the most widely known of these nerve gases, which are fatal even in low concentrations. In recent years they have gained notoriety through their military use (deployment against Kurds by Saddam Hussein) or in terrorism (as in the 1995 attack against the Tokyo subway system by a Japanese sect).
During the Gulf War, the U.S. Armed forces had anticipated chemical warfare by Iraqi forces, and had treated their personnel with the well-established prophylactic agents. The fears were unfounded, but the drawbacks of the available prophylactics (which considerably contributed to the “Gulf War syndrome”) quickly became apparent.
According to published and internationally patented research results by scientists from the University of Maryland at Baltimore, galantamine (which is known to be much better tolerated than the known prophylactics) can offer protection against such poisoning. If administered immediately after the exposure to the toxic agent it can reduce symptoms and, most importantly, it can reduce mortality. Of special interest are results suggesting that galantamine might be able to prevent or limit the irreversible delayed brain damage which is a frequent sequel of nerve gas poisoning, even in cases where exposure was minimal.
Sanochemia plans to have Sanochemia Corp. USA (Westport, NJ) acquire approximately 40 percent of the outstanding capital of Countervail Corp., which will cooperate closely with the University of Maryland and has excellent working relationships with the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security. Sanochemia will contribute its know-how in active ingredient synthesis and galenic development, and the facility in Neufeld (Burgenland, Austria) will provide the supplies of galantamine and the required formulations for the drug.
For further information please contact:
Margarita Hoch Investor Relations
Phone: +43 / 1 / 3191456 / 335 Fax: +43 / 1 / 3191456/ 344
m.hoch(at)sanochemia.at
www.sanochemia.at
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