Annual Report 1999-2000

Technology Development

Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Research

DST has evolved certain schemes which are specifically intended to accelerate the pace of development of indigenous technology through networking of existing strengths in various

National laboratories and academic institutions.

The scheme on Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Research was initiated by DST in 1994- 95 for promoting R&D in drugs and pharmaceuticals sector.This Programme aims at enhancing capabilities of the Indian Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Industry towards development of New Drugs by synergising the strength of National Institutions and Drug Industry.Under the Programme R & D in all Systems of medicine will be promoted including Ayurvedic Unani & Siddha.

Approach

This Scheme is composed of three important components specifically :

• Bringing together the scientific expertise existing in the country in research institutions and industry on a joint platform in a project mode
  
• Establishment of mechanisms and linkages so as to facilitate the development of new drugs by the Indian Industry and the research institutions .
  
• Creating state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities on par with international standards for the benefit of the Indian Industry and other users.
  

Achievements

Eight collaborative research projects have been considered for financial support under the " Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research" Programme during the current financial year, out of which all the proposals have been approved by the executive committee and are in the process of being sanctioned.

Two project proposals which were approved during the year 1998-1999, have been sanctioned during 1999- 2000 for an amount of Rs. 54.5 lakhs and are in the area of standardization of certain traditional herbal single plant formulations for commonly encountered diseases viz. diarrhoea, pancreatitis, gastritis and ischaemic heart disease & Development of standardized metallic and herbo-mineral formulations based on toxicological , pharmacological and Process Chemistry investigations.

The two Collaborative Projects sanctioned so far have been jointly conceived by Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel , Mumbai in collaboration with Indian Herbs Research and Supply Co. Ltd., Saharanpur and Dabur Research Foundation (DRF), Ghaziabad.

The various other collaborative project proposals likely to be sanctioned in the near future ( in 1999- 2000 are related to synthesis of selective cyclooxygenase-2-inhibitors for development of anti-inflammatory drugs, development of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for therapeutic myocardial angiogenesis, synthesis of antagonist analogues and mimetics of vasoactive intestinal peptide for cancer therapy, development of a new gastric proton pump inhibitor and process and product standardization of classical ayurvedic drugs with special reference to Rheumatism etc.The various new project proposals which are in the process of being sanctioned are envisaged to involve DST's contribution of the order of Rs.3.00 crores towards 1st release of grants while Rs.1.00 lakh is envisaged to be spent during 1999-2000 towards ongoing activities of this programme.

Monitoring of Projects

Monitoring of the various collaborative projects and facilities which have completed more than one year has been carried out and most of them are being implemented as recommended by the Expert Committee. 5 project proposals have completed their tenure. Out of the ongoing projects, 11 have been monitored and others which are of less than one years duration are yet to be monitored.

With regard to development of " Herbal Drugs " , the programmes supported under the umbrella of this programme on standardization of traditional medicines so far , are expected to be concluded sucessfully . In one of the research programmes the active compounds in Ashwagandha , Satavari , Haritaki and Mandu- Kaparani known to possess adaptogenic and immunorestorative activity , have been identified . Specifically the three plants namely ; Mandukaparni , Haritaki and Satavari have yielded significant leads which can have applications as neutraceuticals or in specific problems of geriatrics , like memory improvement , disorders associated with reduced clearance of free radicals etc. In another project proposal , a novel method has been standardized for the preparation of certain Asavas and Arishtas , which is more innovative and less time consuming .