COA Research and Manufacturing Limited Company (COARMLC) has strongly denied media reports suggesting that its herbal product, COA-72, is undergoing clinical trials as a treatment for HIV.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 28, 2025, the company described as “misleading” a report published by the Daily Graphic on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. According to COARMLC, the article misrepresented its engagement with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health during a visit to its facilities two days earlier.
“The publication misrepresented our position. Nowhere did we state that COA-72 is in active clinical trials for HIV treatment,” the company said in a statement signed by management.
The company clarified that while COA-72—a new plant-based formulation—has shown encouraging potential in internal and pre-clinical studies, it has not received regulatory approval from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Ghana to begin formal clinical trials.
COARMLC expressed concern over the misleading narrative and emphasized its commitment to scientific integrity, regulatory compliance, and honest communication with the Ghanaian public and international stakeholders.
The company noted that its founder, Mr. Samuel Ato Duncan, shared his long-standing vision of finding a natural solution to HIV during the Parliamentary Committee’s visit, referencing a public commitment he made on November 30, 2005. This vision has guided nearly two decades of research in plant-based pharmaceuticals, leading to the development of several products, including COA Mixture, COA Plus, COA-MT, and COA Capsules. However, none of these products—nor COA-72—have been approved for HIV treatment.
Following the misleading report, COARMLC immediately contacted the Daily Graphic, resulting in a rejoinder published on July 17, 2025. The FDA also released a disclaimer, confirming that no clinical trials for COA-72 as an anti-HIV drug have been approved—a move COARMLC described as “commendable.”
The company clarified that in 2019 it submitted a formal application to the FDA to begin clinical trials on COA-72, which was acknowledged under reference FDA/SMC/CTD/CTA/19/0059. However, it has not yet fulfilled all the requirements necessary to begin official trials.
While preliminary internal and international studies have shown promise—including reduced viral loads and, in some cases, viral clearance—COARMLC stressed that such findings must not be mistaken for conclusive clinical evidence.
“These outcomes do not replace the need for formal FDA-approved clinical research,” the company noted.
Looking ahead, COARMLC says it remains committed to working with the FDA, WHO, and qualified research institutions to pursue responsible clinical testing. It called for support to advance COA-72 through formal investigation, estimating that if successful, the drug could contribute up to $76.8 billion annually to Ghana’s economy and generate thousands of jobs.
“We deeply regret any public confusion caused and urge the media to uphold the highest standards of responsible journalism,” the company concluded.
