&lt;Medizone International Inc> said itexpects the Food and Drug Administration to soon approve the
company's application to begin limited tests of its potential
therapy against AIDS using a combination of ozone and oxygen.
    The company said that once it receives FDA approval, 20
patients with AIDS-related complex will start the treatment at
Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.
    Dr Joseph Latino, director of research at Medizone said the
therapy, which he likened to a process, uses a combination of
oxygen and ozone injected into a patient's owns blood outside
of the body, and then reinfused back into the body.
    "We are guardedly optimistic that this treatment may work,"
said Latino, who said the process has been used to treat viral
illneses, including AIDS, in Europe with varying degrees of
success.
    He said ozone can kill viruses and is used to kill viruses
in waste water treatments. He said the treatment should not be
compared to inhaling ozone, which is toxic.
   Latino said the company is prepared to fund the trial, which
will cost about 250,000 dlrs.
   
 Reuter
