CONTRACTUAL RESEARCH/ INDUSTRIAL LINKAGE
- Synthesis of Oxandrolone by a new cost-effective route (HIKMA Pharmaceutical, Jordan funded project)-since July 2001(US$ 30,000)
Oxandrolone is an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids are natural or synthetic versions of testosterone, a hormone produced naturally in males and to a lesser extent, in females. Anabolic steroids are used in combination with appropriate diet and moderate exercise to promote build-up or gain of protein in the body to form lean body mass (including muscle tissue). Technology was developed and transferred to Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Jordan, for pilot-scale production of Oxandrolone. - Identification and Characterization of anti-diabetic compounds from some Indian Medicinal plants (DIAKRON, USA) since 2001-03.( Grant : US $ 15,000)
Isolated Antidiabetic Active constituents from the Seeds of Fenu Greek, identified Structure of active components and determined ED50 and LD50 and performed long term. - DMA, A Bisbenzimidazole to take it to Early-Phase Human Phase Trials as a Raiomodulator/Radioprotector to Normal Cells for Cancer Radiotherapy inPatients (Funded by BIRAC for Preclinical evaluation on Head and Neck Cancer and ICMR for IND enabling study) (Grant :259 lakhs)
The technical advisory group (TAG) for product development of ICMR has recommended DMA for Product Development as Radioprotector and funded M/s Eurofin Advinus Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore to do 2 Kg GMP grade synthesis of DMA and M/s INTOX Pvt. Ltd., Pune for safety pharmacology and toxicity studies in GLP labs to take it to human Phase I Clinical Trial. The Oncology Department of Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon has signed to support the research and give clinical support to this project for Head and neck Cancer patients. In year 2019- 2020, BIRAC funded an AIR – PACE project to VibhaTandon and Anthem Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. to evaluate said molecule in patient derived xenograft (PDX) in mice generated from Head and Neck Cancer Patients. Interestingly they observed that systemic delivery of DMA enhances salivary gland radioprotection in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) patient during radiotherapy. They have also observed that overall survival of DMA treated PDX mouse is higher after irradiation as compared to untreated one. - A Multi-Scale Approach to Combat the Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance through PPEF (A novel small Molecule) targeting Bacterial topoisomerase IA selectively over Gyrase and humantopoisomerase. (Grant : 779 Lakhs)
Her group identified a new class of antimicrobials to combat bacterial resistance to the existing antibiotics. Her group showed5-(4-Propylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-[2′-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-5′-benzimidazolyl] benzimidazole (PPEF) as selective bacterial topoisomerase I inhibitor, but do not effect human topoisomerase and gyrases. Compound showed bactericidal effect in several gram-positive and negative pathogenic MDR clinical strains. Further, she studied the efficacy of compound in balb/C mice and observed significant bacterial load reduction for both gram-negative E. coli and positive S. aureus MDR strains. BIRAC has funded Bangalore based Contract Research Organization, Anthem Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. perform all IND enabling studies on DMA in GMP and GLP laboratory by 2022.The Department of Chemistry, IIT, Bombay and ICT, Mumbai are also working on crystal structure of DMA –Topoisomerase complex to unravel the interaction between active site of target protein and small molecule and formulation development of this molecule respectively.