July 28, 2008 — NanoViricides, Inc. has added Japanese ophthalmologist and corneal researcher, Kazuo Tsubota, MD, PhD, to its scientific advisory board. Dr. Tsubota is currently professor and chairman of the department of ophthalmology at Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan.
“I have already had licensing discussions with Japanese pharmaceutical companies regarding EkcCide,” said Dr. Tsubota, adding, “There has been significant interest in Japan in the excellent animal study results from the Institute in New York.”
“Dr. Tsubota will be helping us prepare the company’s nanoviricides drug candidates to enter the regulatory approval process in Japan. Initially, he will focus on viral eye diseases such as EKC and Herpes virus infection, among others,” said Eugene Seymour, MD, MPH, CEO of the company.
EkcCide is the company’s nanoviricide drug candidate designed against the adenovirus that causes epidemic-kerato-conjunctivitis (EKC). The company anticipates that the eye-drop formulation of this broad-spectrum nanoviricide drug candidate may have potential against other viral causes of EKC, herpes infection of the eye and the less severe viral conjunctivitis diseases as well.
There are a number of different viruses that cause both viral conjunctivitis and keratitis (inflammation of the cornea). Adenovirus is a common cause of the very severe and potentially debilitating EKC. Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is another infection of the eye. HSV-I infection is frequently recurrent and can lead to corneal scarring which may necessitate corneal transplantation.
NanoViricide has previously reported that EkcCide was shown to cause rapid and clear clinical recovery of infected animal eyes in a study conducted by a renowned US ophthalmologic Institute.
The infection in this study was caused by adenovirus 5, supplied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dr. Tsubota was the first Japanese recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award in 1994. He is Chief Surgeon at the Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic in Tokyo, Japan. He heads a large dry eye research group and also the largest refractive (eye) group in Japan, which has several clinics throughout the country. He is author of more than 350 scientific peer reviewed articles. He is editor of several specialty books in ophthalmology and is also a reviewer for many international journals in ophthalmology.