/ 13 June 1997

Virodene link to ‘deep freeze’

THERE is a local link to the Alcor Life Extension Foundation – researcher Olga Visser, who recently announced she had a treatment for Aids, has received funding from the organisation for her work in the field of cryonics.

Visser and other researchers based at the University of Pretoria last year demonstrated their research at Alcor, getting a “frozen” rat’s heart to beat again. Earlier this year, Visser was part of a team that announced they had found a compound that could slow the progress of Aids and kill the virus that causes it, HIV.

They named the compound Virodene, and began testing it in trials on human patients. Visser said in interviews she had discovered Virodene by accident while doing laboratory research.

The active ingredient of Virodene turned out to be a compound called DMF, often used in the field of organ preservation and highly toxic.

The Virodene trials were accordingly called off – but Visser has not given up. She is presently trying to persuade the Portuguese authorities to allow her to conduct trials is campaigning for Virodene in that country.