Though the Indian drugs and pharmaceutical industry excelled in the process chemistry of known drugs, it created hardly any new drugs. Eleven out of 14 new drugs developed in India came from CSIR's stables. These drugs include anaesthetics, contraceptives, anti-malarials, anti-depressants and memory enhancers.
From a small mark of indelible ink which is put on the index fingers of the voters in every election and the Mark-II handpumps, which are a common sight in rural India, to its latest 14-seater multi-role aircraft Saras, CSIR has several achievements to its credit in various fields which the common man is not aware of.
CSIR is exhibiting 60 facets of its research and development activities conducted by a string of 38 laboratories of the Council, as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations across the country, which started on September 26, 2002. There are 60 posters in the exhibition, each highlighting the achievements of CSIR in the last 60 years, and covers various subjects including health, drug discovery, gene technology, chemical technology, civil aviation, quality improvement in production and so on.
The posters exhibition was opened by Dr Mullapudi Harichandra Prasad, Chairman, Andhra Sugars Ltd, at IICT on Tuesday. This is the 46th of the 52 destinations where the posters were scheduled to be exhibited covering all the state capitals and all the 38 CSIR labs. The year-long Diamond Jubilee celebrations will conclude on September 26, 2003.
CSIR has initiated one of the largest coordinated exploration programmes on drugs based on India's rich bio-resources and its traditional knowledge. This initiative involves 25 institutions, including universities and traditional medicinal system institutes. The path-breaking programme has so far screened 23,000 samples and identified 44 potential bio-active molecules.
A novel recombinant oral cholera vaccine, designed and tested safe for human use, had been developed by CSIR. A natural Streptokinase enzyme obtained through recombinant bacteria paved the way for the indigenous manufacture of the vaccine resulting in sharp price reduction.
There are more than 40 million HIV/AIDS patients in the world. Though there is no cure for the deadly disease, the drugs used for relief and provide succour are expensive. CSIR has developed alternative cheaper processes for the manufacture of these drugs and transferred the technology to CIPLA, which has introduced the drug in India and the third world countries at a fraction of the original price. CIPLA's aggressive pricing policy has not only forced the multinational competitors to reduce the drug prices, but also opened up the issue of affordable life-saving medicines to the poor at a global level, leading finally to the Doha Declaration.
The posters also display as to how CSIR developed technology for 25 pesticides and how it got transferred to 20 industries. About 70 per cent pesticides technology is from CSIR.
The first transgenic Drosophila model for drug screening for cancer is also a gift of India's premier scientific institution to the country and the world.
Malaria seems to come back with a vengeance, affecting nearly two million people today. There is no incentive for the advanced countries to work on the diseases of the poor. CSIR has developed two effective drugs to combat malaria - Elubaquine is an anti-relapse anti-malarial quite effective against chloroquine resistant malaria. Arteether (E-mal), a drug that can combat cerebral malaria is being exported to 48 countries today.
Asmon, the novel herbal medicine for asthma, is based on a CSIR technology. Asmon blocks both asthma-causing pathways. Unlike the commonly used steroidal drugs, Asmon has no side-effects and is safe for all age-groups. Its unique mechanism of action provides faster relief.
Centoliron is a wonder molecule discovered and developed into a drug by CSIR. It is the world's first non-steroidal oral pill. It is also the world's first once-a-week oral pill. The pill can also counter breast cancer and Osteoporosis.
The exhibition also displays the activities of the three CSIR institutes in the city - IICT, CCMB and the National Geographical Research Institute. Addressing the press, Dr K V Raghavan, Director, IICT, spoke at length the genesis of CSIR and the national laboratories under it. About the activities of IICT, he said of the more than 1,000 overseas patents filed by CSIR in 2002, 145 were from IICT. About 80 per cent of the patents filed by IICT were related to basic research having high commercial potential. He said two kinds of patents, product and process patenting, were being filed by IICT, of which 15per cent were relating to the first category. While 40 per cent were relating to catalysis, an equal percentage was occupied by drugs and pharmaceuticals.