By Chinenye Ezenwa and Ngozi Nwabuisi
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research(NIMR) and Pax Herbals has signed a memorandum of understanding to work together for the advancement and clinical trial of herbal medicines.
Pax Herbals is engaged in the scientific identification, cultivation and utilisation of medicinal plants as well as manufacturing of phytomedicines. NIMR’s mission is to conduct research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria and develop structures for the dissemination of research findings while providing the enabling environment and facilities for health research and training in cooperation with the “federal and state ministries of health and in collaboration with universities, allied institutions and organised private sector nationally and internationally.
Director, Pax Herbals, Fr Anselm Adodo, said both parties are desirous of working together to achieve the objective of research continuum in natural drug discovery, clinical verification, observation and analysis of Pax Herbal products. He said : “This MOU witnessed the following terms, which shall form the basis of or template of the joint venture to be agreed upon by both parties that have entered into a joint venture agreement that shall govern the relationship of both parties and shall remain distinct and separate entities in the operation of the joint venture.
“Pax Herbals shall volunteer regular information to NIMR on various medicinal plants used locally in Edo State and other parts of Nigeria, and indicate potentials for their cultivation. Source for raw materials as required by the relevant section of NIMR for drug preparation and development.
“We shall submit both our finished products and raw materials to NIMR for any phytochemical and toxicity analysis that will give valuable information for drug discovery. NIMR shall contribute its technical and administrative expertise to us in drug standardization and clinical trials of our medicines. Both parties shall work out a format for exchange of staff for the purpose of knowledge aquisition and transfer of technology.
“Each party shall retain all intellectual property rights. Both parties shall engage in joint manufacturing, standardization of some herbal medicines based on conditions agreed to by both parties. Both parties shall set up a herbal unit within the Institute premises in NIMR under the supervision of a trained physician for the purpose of research into the clinical use of National Agency for Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) approved herbal products. Both parties shall engage in joint proposal writings to attract local and foreign fundings for specific research projects,” he stated.
Director-General, NIMR, Prof. Babatunde Salako said, “ I have decided to make some changes. One of our mandate is to collaborate with universities, colleges and communities. Today, we are fulfilling that mandate. We doing this because many of our herbal preparations produced locally have no work done on them to get information on toxicity and safety. So, we are here to sign an MoU to go into the herbal industry to see whether they are good or bad, In the process of doing that, we have gone into collaboration with Pax herbals.
We will work together. We will help Pax herbals look into their herbal medicines, particularly in the area of clinical trials of fheir medicines. It is a milestone for the institution and especially a milestone for the country,” he said.