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Prevention of Viral Infection using TCM
From Front-line Workers to the Community
Hong Kong, April 21, 2003 - The Institute of Chinese Medicine ("ICM"), The Chinese University of Hong Kong ("CUHK") and Eu Yan Sang (Hong Kong) Limited ("Eu Yan Sang") today jointly announce a plan to expand the production of an innovative anti-viral TCM formula, "§Ü¬r¸ÉªÍ´ö", for the benefit of the public at large in the battle against SARS in the community. This is a university-industry joint effort to extend ICM's earlier initiative in response to Hospital Authority's ("HA") urgent call for the supply of a preventive option using Chinese medicine for front-line hospital workers.
ICM of CUHK earlier on manufactured 42,000 sachets of the anti-viral TCM granules for free distribution to the front-line healthcare workers. The distribution has commenced on April 17, 2003 and received enthusiastic response. It is expected that 3,000 workers, mainly from the HA hospitals, will be benefited.
Prof. PC Leung, Chairman of Management Committee of ICM, CUHK, said: "Since the distribution to the front-line workers, we have received a lot of requests and enquiries from the general public, but unfortunately, with our limited funding and production capacity, we can only cater for a small proportion of the hospital workers. I was delighted when Eu Yan Sang, our longtime partner in TCM research, approached us and offered their support for a large-scale production of the TCM preparation to make this anti-SARS preventive option available also to the community at large."
Preparation for large-scale production of the "§Ü¬r¸ÉªÍ´ö" TCM preparation has commenced with first delivery of about 50,000 packs for the public scheduled for end of April/early May, 2003.
Ms Alice Wong, Managing Director of Eu Yan Sang Hong Kong, said: "It is a valuable opportunity for TCM to play a role in this important effort to fight against SARS. Eu Yan Sang is honoured to work alongside ICM/CUHK to serve the community. Consistent with our corporate philosophy of a science-driven approach, we are also prepared to commit further resources and work with ICM to conduct further research for the innovative formula at the next stage."
ICM's innovative anti-viral TCM formula was developed by combining two renowned classic herbal formulae "®áµâ¶¼" and "¥É«Ì·´²", with the addition of other herbs to enhance the anti-viral effects. The formula contains Folium Mori¡]®á¸¡^, Flos Chrysanthemi¡]µâªá¡^, Semen Armeniacae Amarum¡]§ö¤¯¡^, Fructus Forsythiae¡]³s¼¡^, Herba Menthae¡]Á¡²ü¡^, Radix Platycodi¡]®Ü±ð¡^, Radix Glycyrrhizae¡]¥Í¥Ì¯ó¡^, Rhizoma Phragmitis¡]Ī®Ú¡^, Radix Scutellariae¡]¶ÀÍÁ¡^, Folium Isatidis¡]¤j«C¸¡^, Radix Astragali¡]¶À¯Ï¡^ and Radix Saposhnikoviae¡]¨¾·¡^.
"Our innovative TCM is a safe formula developed from two classical formulae well-known for the prevention and treatment of Wan Bing¡]·Å¯f¡^. We have launched an observational study on volunteers. We look forward to additional resources for further verification and enhancement in future," added Prof. Leung.
About Eu Yan Sang Group
Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Eu Yan Sang International Limited is a progressive, global healthcare company with its core focus in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eu Yan Sang dedicates its business to the pursuit of offering the best natural healthcare products and services to its customers.
Today, the Company manufactures and markets fine quality, Chinese herbs and medicine under the brand name "Eu Yan Sang." A household name in Asia for over 120 years, Eu Yan Sang has since earned an unrivalled reputation as the leader in the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
The Group currently offers more than 150 products under its Eu Yan Sang brand name and over 1,000 different types of Chinese herbs and other medicinal products. Manufacturing activities are carried out primarily at its two Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-certified factories located in Malaysia and Hong Kong, the latter of which was accredited by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia and granted ISO9001:2000 by Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency. They produce a wide range of powder, pill and capsule products, including its flagship products, Bak Foong Pill and Bo Ying Compound.
Eu Yan Sang's products are readily available in its own 72 retail stores spread across Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as in over 5,000 drugstores, supermarkets and chain stores worldwide.
About ICM, CUHK
Being a pioneer in Chinese medicinal materials research since the 70's, CUHK set up the Institute of Chinese Medicine (ICM) in January 2000 to support the Government's initiative to develop Hong Kong into an international center of Chinese medicine.
ICM takes on the mission to modernize and internationalize Chinese medicine. Being an advocator of integration of Chinese and modern medicine, it focuses its scientific evidence-based research on difficult clinical problems that do not yet have effective or optimal solution in modern medicine, such as viral infections, chronic problems, allergies, derangements, untreatable diseases and preventive measures.
Pooling together over 150 experts in the Faculties of Medicine, Science and Engineering, ICM has set up six sections serving multiple functions including clinical trial, authentication, quality control, standardization, safety assurance, drug development as well as information center and public education.
In late 2001, the "Chinese Medicine Research and Further Development" project, led by ICM, was selected by the University Grants Committee from over 50 applications for a five-year support under the Area of Excellence Scheme.
Issued by :
Eu Yan Sang (Hong Kong) Limited
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