Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences (IC), PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Parliamentary Affairs, today announced the launch of Streptokinase, a life saver, for marketing in India. Streptokinase is an effective and inexpensive clot dissolving drug used in the treatment of myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism and belongs to the category of fibrinolytics/clot busters which work by activating plasminogen to produce plasmin which in turn helps in dissolving the clot.

The technology for this life-saver drug was developed at the Chandigarh based Institute of Microbial Technology, a constituent laboratory of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). Chennai based Pharma major Shasun Chemicals and Drugs is making a foray into Biotherapeutics by launching Streptokinase in the Indian Market.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Prithviraj Chavan termed the launch as classic example of what public funded R&D can do. Lauding the efforts of the scientists he said that laboratories and markets must work in an environment of mutual respect to benefit the society. The Minister also expressed hope that CSIR will rededicate itself to make a difference to the life of common man.

Prof. Samir. K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR and Mr N. Govindarajan, CEO & MD, Shasun Chemicals & Drugs Ltd. were among those present during the launch.

The technology for the synthesis of this therapeutic protein was developed at Institute of Microbial technology (IMTech) by Dr. Girish Sahni, Director IMTech and his team, including Drs. Deb Sahoo and Kanak Dikshit. IMTech is a premier institute working on the frontiers of Science and Technology under the auspices of the Council of Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR), Government of India. Once developed, the technology was licensed to Shasun Chemicals and Drugs (Shasun) in the year 2002 and Shasun had undertaken enormous amounts of work to effect the transition of this technology from the labs in IMTech to the commercial market place. IMTech, through their guidance on the nuances of the technology, played a pivotal role in the commercialization of this technology. This development represents and endorses the importance of Public-Private-Partnerships to produce affordable medicines.

Over the last decade, treatment mechanism for patients with AMI (Acute Myocardial Infarction) has been by intravenous thrombolysis using Streptokinase. This mode of treatment makes it highly critical for the medicine to be of absolutely best purity. The Streptokinase developed being a recombinant protein does not have any traces of Streptolysin or Streptodornase (which are usually harmful) associated with natural streptokinase. Further studies in the lab have also demonstrated that Shasun’s Streptokinase has one of the best fibrinolytic activities amongst the products currently available in the market.

This medicine will provide immense benefit to the Indian population by reducing mortality among patients, increasing lifespan among the younger generation (young patients with fewer clots can be treated and they are safe for ~ 10 years) and in case of early thrombolytic treatment will avoid surgery and the huge expenses involved in surgical intervention. The medicine is highly affordable and eliminates the need for tPA which is highly expensive.

IMTech, it may be recalled, had also licensed an improved, new clot-specific thrombolytic to Nostrum Inc., USA and Symmetrix Biotech, India recently. This drug is undergoing regulatory testing and is expected to be commercialized in the year 2011.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : July 10, 2009