The Institute for Applied Biomedicine is a growing not-for-profit biotechnology firm developing drugs to treat immune system diseases. We are committed to making our drugs affordable and available to the broadest possible population.

Our first project was to create and test a new AIDS drug. If it proves successful, ongoing use of this drug will restore and maintain health in an HIV-positive person indefinitely. In addition, we are developing a pipeline of treatments for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

AIDS and Current Treatments

Worldwide, an estimated thirty-three million people are infected with HIV (see The AIDS Epidemic). Current therapies are "anti-viral" drugs which directly attack HIV's ability to reproduce. They have been very effective for some, but not at all effective for others. Even when the drugs are initially effective, they often have dangerous and intolerable side effects, are vulnerable to viral drug-resistance, and not affordable or practical for most HIV-positive people. (See Current Treatments)

Experts agree that new approaches to research and treatment are necessary. AIDS researchers from around the world are pointing to the importance of manipulating the human immune system, rather than attacking the virus, as the new approach to AIDS treatment. (See Note on "Cures".)

Immudel™-gp120: The Institute's AIDS Drug

Extensive published research evidence (see Literature Excerpts or References) indicates that the presence of HIV confuses the immune system into attacking itself (see Non-Technical Summary or Autoimmune Model). Our AIDS drug, Immudel™-gp120, is designed to prevent this attack and keep the immune system healthy (see Non-Technical Summary or Details of Immudel-gp120).

While a person receiving Immudel-gp120 would still remain HIV-positive, they would not suffer the immune system collapse called AIDS. Furthermore, we expect our treatment could allow even people with advanced AIDS to recover fully.

Unlike current anti-viral treatments, Immudel-gp120 will not directly attack HIV, so HIV cannot become resistant to it as it has to all other drugs. Our drug could be used for the growing number of people living with drug-resistant strains of the virus.

Immudel-gp120 should be less expensive to produce than current anti-viral treatments, and is expected to require only one shot per month. We believe it will be practical for many of the people, health-service providers, and governments who are unable to afford or to manage current AIDS treatments.

Pilot Testing and Review

Pilot tests of Immudel-gp120 have shown two things. First, the drug has been effective at altering the immune response to HIV, exactly as designed. Second, the drug caused no detectable side effects either on human vascular tissue or in rats. (See Pilot Test Results)

Our research has been published in a refereed journal (see Medical Hypotheses Article) and reviewed without criticism by many experts (see Expert Review).

Development Plans

Given the clear, positive results of our pilot tests, the Institute plans to move forward with the more extensive non-human testing that is required by the FDA before human trials are possible. We raising money to fund this research (see Support Our Research).

As a research-based biotechnology firm, we ultimately expect to enter into licensing agreements with pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing and marketing. Our vision is to fund or manage all of FDA trials ourselves and to license Immudel-gp120 as a generic drug as soon as possible. We believe this will allow us to best meet our humanitarian goals, making Immudel-gp120 maximally affordable and accessible. (See Immudel-gp120 Development Plans.)

In order to maintain enough control to meet our goals, we have filed for patent protection on the design of Immudel-gp120 and on our drugs for other immune system diseases.

Other Immune System Diseases

In addition to Immudel-gp120, we are developing a pipe-line of drugs for other diseases of the immune system, including several autoimmune diseases. We have filed for broad patent protection on an extensive immune-modifying technology with many potential applications. We have experimental evidence that these drugs, too, are likely to be effective and safe. (See Product Pipeline)

Our greatest strength is in ideas and research. As with the AIDS drug, we will work with pharmaceutical partners to produce and market our therapies in a manner which will best serve the public.

The Institute's Values

Our commitment to world health is reflected in our decision to do business as a not-for-profit. This allows us to produce and license drugs in the manner we believe will best serve the public, rather than generate maximum profit. To us, it is tragic that people suffer because the only treatments available are not affordable. The Institute exists to end, not perpetuate, such tragedies.

Since our formation in 1996, we have a proven track-record of our ability to succeed as a not-for-profit organization in an area normally considered the realm of huge profit-based corporations and government-financed research. All revenue we generate from the sale and licensing of our treatments will be used for additional research and to make our treatments available to all who need them. We have made available brief bios of our board members and research staff.

Support Our Research

If our research is successful, as we and others anticipate, it would restore health and hope to millions of people with HIV infections and autoimmune diseases.

We hope you will join us in bringing the possibility of an affordable, effective AIDS drug into reality. This is an extremely cost-effective project. Most non-profit medical research organizations, like the American Foundation for AIDS Research or the American Heart Association, focus their research dollars on basic science designed to broaden our overall understanding of a disease. While this is a crucial role, the Institute for Applied Biomedicine has a different niche.

Your contribution will go to developing a specific AIDS treatment which many have agreed has an excellent chance of permanently changing the prognosis for HIV-positive children and adults. Alternatively, your contribution can be dedicated to the development of specific, promising treatments for autoimmune diseases.

The Institute for Applied Biomedicine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible. Please visit Support Our Research for more information.

"Don't ever forget how much it means to us, that you are even trying.... You are our hope. Thank you." – HIV-positive undergraduate student writing to the Institute.

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