Since we have been discussing CMV, hiv and breastfeeding, I just thought I'd
quote from patent # 5565425 called "Viral infection and proliferation
inhibitors."
The assignee is Snow Brand Milk Products--they make infant formula among
other milk products.  [Snow Brand and Nestle have formed a joint venture with
Nestle Japan Ltd. to produce nonmilk beverages from
http://www.hoovers.com/uk/co/capsule/5/0,3042,52345,00.html ]
The patent is interesting because it is about the use of human lactoferrin
for various viruses but most importantly for use against hiv and also CMV.
Now isn't it interesting that this infant formula company (who has a public
agreement with Nestle and who knows what private deals have been made) has a
patent on the use of human lactoferrin against hiv?  But hiv positive women
better not breastfeed and premies with mothers who have CMV may need
formula--yeah bet it's formula boosted with human lactoferrin  I think I
smell a rat, a nestle chocolate-covered rat...Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

"The inventors found that iron-binding proteins such as lactoferrin (LF),
transferrin and ovotransferrin inhibit the infection and growth of influenza
virus and cytomegalo virus (CMV) and accomplished an invention (Japanese
Un-examined Patent Publication No. 233619 (1990)). LF secreted in milk is
known as an iron-binding protein which possesses antimicrobial activity.
Human and bovine LFs have been investigated in detail and their total amino
acid sequences have been determined (M. W. Rey et al., Nucleic Acids Res.,
18, 5288 (1990) and P. E. Mead et al., ibid., 18, 7167 (1990)). Japanese
Un-examined Patent Publication No. 233226 (1989) discloses an antiviral agent
containing milk proteins such as LF as effective ingredients, explaining that
LF is effective against viruses with and without envelope. Recently, the
inventors confirmed the inhibitory effect of iron-binding proteins against
infection and growth of HIV and accomplished an invention of HIV infection
and growth inhibitor containing LF as an effective ingredient (Japanese
Patent Application No. 220635 (1992))."

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