The Company undertaking clinical trials on a potential HIV cure says the drug is being confused with the Food and Drugs Authority, FDA-approved immune system support drug, COA FS, also produced by the same company.

The Center of Awareness (COA) in a press statement defended the efficacy of their drug, COA 72 and clarified that "COA 72, the injectable (currently under research) is, therefore, different from COA FS, the food supplement, which has the approval of the FDA. "

This comes after the company announced it was beginning clinical trials for the drug which has proved highly successful in the cure of HIV in research experiments.

The FDA issued a statement after the announcement by the company denying approval of a drug that cures the deadly disease.

Related: Don't buy any drug promising HIV/AIDS cure - FDA warns

But the COA in a press statement explaining its immune system support drug COA FS, has been confused with the potential HIV cure COA 72 which is not undergoing clinical trials.

Below is the full statement signed by the Executive President at the research company Centre of Awareness, Dr Samuel Ato Duncan.

The Center of Awareness (COA) has read with dismay from both the electronic and print media the press statement emanating from the Food and Drugs Board (FDA) to the effect that they are unaware of a drug COA 72, which cures HIV/AIDS and had accordingly advised the public to stay away from it.

Indeed, the FDA officially is unaware of COA 72, an intramuscular and intravenous injectable herbal product, developed by Dr. Ato Duncan of COA and for which preliminary results indicate that it has the potential to cure HIV/AIDS and the reason for which a press conference was held on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, at the auditorium of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in Accra to create awareness and to seek potential financiers for the required clinical trials.

What the FDA is aware of and has approved for use by the general public is COA FS, a food supplement that helps in the general wellbeing of users.

COA 72, the injectable (currently under research) is therefore, different from COA FS, the food supplement, which has the approval of the FDA.

In vivo pilot studies conducted in South Africa proved that intramuscular administration of COA 72 has the ability to expose viruses living in latently infected cells Into the blood stream and flush out by intravenous administration of COA 72 in five (5) days. This means that Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) could be flushed out from the human body within a maximum of Ten (10) days.

The press conference was held to create awareness for COA 72 and seek funding for further trials. Tests using International Standard Protocols by the World health Organisation (WHO) for global acceptance, are still required to be done with the support of all including government, interested research institutions, and persons all over the world, as a cure for HIV/AIDS.

At the Press Conference mention of the COA FS (with Food and Drugs Board registration number FDB/HD. 16-9248} was made as a drug produced by COA as a food supplement approved by the FDA, not as a cure for HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Ato Duncan went to great lengths to explain the difference between the two drugs, and further elaborated on them when at question time it became clear that some journalists were mixing up the two different drugs.

By this statement, therefore, COA wishes to clear the air that the COA 72 is an unfinished product still being researched, which needs the support of all for further trials. Whereas, the COA FS is a food supplement that assists in the general wellbeing of users and should not be confused with the under research.