VPH Virodene Pharmaceutical Holdings

- MISSION STATEMENT
- INTRODUCTION
- HISTORY
- LEGAL HISTORY
- EXECUTIVE BROCHURE (PDF format, 4.06 MB)

INTRODUCTION

Virodene Pharmaceutical Holdings (Pty) Ltd. was established to research and develop Virodene^® P058 as a New Generation Drug for the management of HIV/AIDS and other auto-immune diseases. The drug formulation, use, and the drug delivery system were patented internationally.

Virodene^® P058 has been tested on humans in a Pilot Study, a Phase I Study (Safety in healthy volunteers), and a Phase II Study (Safety and efficacy in subjects living with HIV/AIDS).

International Clinical Research Organizations (CRO’s) conducted the Clinical Trials according to ICH guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (GCP), thus ensuring the validity and credibility of Clinical Trial Data/Results. These results include the statistical analyses of Virodene^® PO58's safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic profile

The drug application is convenient, non-toxic and user-friendly.

On this web site you will find the history of Virodene^® PO58 , as well as the results of the Pilot Study, Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials on healthy and HIV/AIDS infected human volunteers. (Access to members only)

HISTORY

Virodene^® P058 was discovered in 1996 by Michelle Olga Patricia Visser

It was her research into methods of cryopreservation at the University of Pretoria’s Thoracic Surgery Department, which led Ms Visser to observe and record that DMF, the main ingredient of Virodene^® P058, had anti-viral properties.

Cryopreservation is the study of freezing organs to temperatures as low as minus 196 degrees centigrade, storing them at these temperatures, and then thawing and reviving them to full function. She also developed a novel cryo-protectant solution, key to achieving these objectives.

During her research and following an extensive N,N Dimethylformamide (DMF) Literature search for cryo patent purposes, she discovered the clinical use of polar compounds, including DMF, as possible antiviral agents.

Ms Visser extrapolated that DMF’s effectiveness may extend to cover the viral activities relating to the HIV/AIDS virus, based on the extensive, documented research available.

Legal History of Virodene

At the end of 1995, Cryopreservation Technologies cc (CPT) was founded by Ms Michelle Olga Visser, Mr. Jacques Siegfried (Zigi) Visser, and Mr. Carlos G. Tiefenthaler.

The purpose of this company was to patent, develop, and market Ms Visser’s inventions, amongst them, Virodene^® P058. In October 1997, new Members joined the Close Corporation, under the administration of Mr. Zigi Visser.

By this time, the Pilot Study had been successfully completed, and the Phase I Clinical Trial was nearing approval.

On 27 November 1997 minority members, Mr. C. N. Fourie, Dr. C. J. Landauer, Prof. D. du Plessis, and Dr. G du Preez brought an urgent application - the first of many - for the liquidation of CPT, in order to displace the majority interest holders and gain control of the administration of the Corporation.

The court actions are listed as follows:

1.	In The High Court of South Africa (Transvaal Provincial Division) Pretoria: Case Number 28478/97, an Ex Parte Application is brought before Justice Botha on an urgent basis against CPT, Ms. MOP Visser, Mr. Zigi Visser and others by applicants, Fourie, Landauer, du Plessis and du Preez. The matter was settled by mutual agreement on the 12 December 1997 by the appointment of Dr. Hans Hugo Snyckers as interim manager of CPT, and the case postponed sine die. Dr. Snyckers remained CPT interim manager until May 1998, when CPT’s assets were sold to Virodene Pharmaceutical Holdings (Pty) Ltd (VPH).
2.	In The High Court of South Africa (Transvaal Provincial Division) Pretoria: Case Number 30379/98 brought in November 1998 by applicants: Fourie, Landauer, Du Preez and Martens against Cryopreservation Technologies and Virodene Pharmaceutical Holdings (Pty) Ltd before Justice Van Der Westhuizen, who gave a 37 page Judgement on 14 June 2000, wherein he dismissed the application with costs.
3.	In The High Court of South Africa (Transvaal Provincial Division) Pretoria: Case Number 13125/03 brought in 15 May 2003 by applicant: Michelle Olga Visser, supported by the above applicants, under instruction from Quinton van Rooyen against Cryopreservation Technologies. This matter came before Justice Motata on 22 May 2003; Justice Jooste on 27 May 2003; Justice Botha on 10 June 2003; Justice Kruger on the 29 July and finally before Justice Patel on the 6 August 2003, who gave a 7 page Judgement on 8 August 2003, wherein he dismissed the application with costs, de bonis propriis against attorney Evadne de Jager.
4.	In The Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, Bloemfontein: Case Number 376/02 brought by the appellants: Fourie, Landauer, Du Preez and Martens, against the Judgement of Justice Van Der Westhuizen under Case No 30379/98 on the 14 June 2000. Written Judgement was delivered on 10 January 2001, and Justice Van Der Westhuizen gave the applicants leave to appeal on 20 March 2001, and which appeal was heard on 19 August 2003. The Appeal was heard in front of a full bench (five) of the most senior Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeal, namely Justice Harms, Zulman, Farlam, Conradie and Mlambo. Justice Harms delivered the Judgement within two hours of the start of the hearing, wherein he dismissed the application with costs. Justice Harms further stated that the Court did not believe that the Application for Liquidation was Bona Fide, nor that the applicants came to Court with “clean hands”.
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