Avesthagen Limited, India's leading knowledge-based life sciences company, has signed Memorandum of Understating with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.

Avesthagen and ICMR will explore possibilities to innovate nutraceutical development from traditional and folk medicine by knowledge sharing. The agreement aims to strengthen research in the area of bionutrition and will open new avenues for research on traditional Indian medicinal plants. This is yet another initiative by Avesthagen to strengthen public-private partnership in the country.

Both the organizations will also undertake research in the area of genetic engineering and engineering metabolic pathways of medicinal plants for increasing concentration of the active ingredients using physiochemical and molecular approaches, develop oilseeds and pulses with improved nutrition effect, tolerance to drought and salinity and improved nutrient utilization efficiency. The bionutra programme at Avesthagen will get an enhanced impetus by associating with a body such as ICMR which is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world and brings with it enormous experience in almost every aspect of Indian traditional medicine.

Dr S K Bhattacharya, additional director general and officiating DG of ICMR, said, "While ICMR has established linkages with private sector under the framework of public-private partnerships, the present MoU between ICMR and Avesthagen is indeed the first of its kind in the research area of traditional Indian medicinal plants. We welcome this initiative and look forward to working closely with the scientists at Avesthagen."

On the occasion of the signing of the MoU, Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell, founder, chairman & managing director of Avesthagen Limited said, "I am extremely delighted at joining hands with ICMR. We, at Avesthagen have been investing and developing various tools and methodologies for the identification and validation of plant bio-actives. These efforts of ours would be made use for both therapy and preventive healthcare. Avesthagen's important and unique association with ICMR will hasten this process and also provide an independent view of our results."