Company Hired to Sell Isoprinosine in Mexico

Newport Pharmaceuticals International Inc. of Newport Beach said Monday it has signed Grupo Roussel, S.A., to market its only drug, isoprinosine, in Mexico.

Grupo Roussel, S.A., a multinational pharmaceutical company with headquarters in France, will sell the anti-viral drug for treatment of such diseases as viral hepatitis, herpes and viral respiratory illness. The drug is not approved for sale in the United States.

However, Newport Pharmaceuticals is currently testing the drug’s ability to treat patients with AIDS-related complex, a condition that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The company has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug to treat potential AIDS patients. FDA officials have questioned the drug’s overall effectiveness.