In 2011, the World Health Organization reported 1.4 million deaths from tuberculosis, an airborne bacteria predominant in Asia and Africa.  A 2009 study found that one in four TB deaths was HIV related, and treatment options for HIV-positive TB patients are limited. In response, a team of Ukrainian scientists led by Dr. Galyna Kutsyna developed an herbal immune system adjunct, Immunoxel, which has the potential to reduce TB therapy down to just one month, and is effective in HIV-positive patients.

Through the 2008 STEP Business Partnership Grant Competition (BPG), Kiev-based “Ekomed LLC” worked to develop and market Immunoxel worldwide. In 2012, Dr. Kutsyna’s team was awarded a second grant in the STEP “From Idea to Market” competition to continue their work.

Dr. Kutsyna has a history of studying infectious diseases and leads the clinical research facility at Ekomed LLC. In previous studies, Dr. Kutsyna’s team found adding Immunoxel to multiple-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) therapy could reduce treatment to less than 4 months, making TB drugs up to ten times more effective while reversing or reducing liver damage caused by chemotherapy.

With the support of the 2008 CRDF Global grant, Ekomed LLC conducted the first ever double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of Immunoxel. They found that not only did results demonstrate the potency of Immunoxel in TB and TB/HIV patients, but also revealed that the supplement was even more effective in solid lozenge form than the original liquid formula, and could reduce treatment of TB down to one month. The STEP 2012 grant will allow continued research and commercialization of the new honey lozenge form of Immunoxel.

Results were recently published in a leading scientific journal on immunotherapy and presented at conferences and seminars around the world. With the support of the 2008 grant, Ekomed LLC obtained a license from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and similar marketing permits in Russia, Mongolia, and South Africa. They are forming partnerships with US, Australian, and Canadian companies to develop and market the product.

CRDF Global launched its Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Program (STEP) in 2008 to spark technology entrepreneurship in Ukraine and advance innovative technology-based ideas to market through competitive funding and mentorship. “From Idea to Market 2012” is open to all scientists and entrepreneurs with an innovative business plan. STEP is implemented in partnership with the State Agency of Science, Innovation and Information, and is funded by the US Department of State.