POLYPORIN A: A NEW ANTI-AIDS IMMUNOREGULATORY DRUG

THE PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF AN EXTRACT OF POLYPORUS UMBELLATUS, A MUSHROOM INDIGENOUS TO CHINA, HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED EXTENSIVELY BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT. POLYPORIN A, A POLYSACCHARIDE PURIFIED FROM THE EXTRACT, HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE IMMUNOMODULATORY AND ANTITUMOR ACTIVITIES AND IS CURRENTLY IN CLINICAL TRIALS IN CHINA. THE COMPOUND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE WHEN ADMINISTERED DURING OR AFTERCHEMOTHERAPY OR RADIOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT TUMORS. THE HIPPLE CANCER RESEARCH CORPORATION HAS OBTAINEDQUANTITIES OF THIS COMPOUND SUFFICIENT FOR IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ITS IMMUNOHEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS, OF ITS CLINICAL TOXICITY AND OF ITS POTENTIAL AS A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT. IN PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT, POLYPORIN A WILL BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE ITS DIRECT IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECT ON CELLS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. EFFECTS OF THE COMPOUND WILLALSO BE DETERMINED IN VITRO ON CELLS OF THE HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM. THE CYTOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF THE COMPOUND WILL BE DETERMINED ON NORMAL HUMAN BONE MARROW IN THE PRESENCE OF ANTI-AIDS DRUGS. FINALLY, THE FEASIBILITY OF UTILIZING POLYPORIN A AS AN ANTI-AIDS AGENT OR ADJUVANTAL AGENT WILL BE ESTABLISHED. IN PHASE II OF THE PROJECT, POLYPORIN A, IF FOUND TO SHOW SUFFICIENT PROMISE, WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH IN A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FASHION TO THE ETHICAL PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY FOR PURCHASE AND USE IN CLINICAL IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY.