The Central Drugs Research Institute (CDRI) is into the advanced stages of developing a number of new drugs including a couple of anti-diabetic herbal products and synthetic molecules and is hoping to see them in the markets in a few years time.

The Institute has already tied up with Boston-based Indigene Pharmaceuticals, which is operating out of Hyderabad in India, for the two herbal products to fight the diabetics. These drugs are in the pre-clinical stages, CDRI director Dr C M Gupta told Pharmabiz.

The Institute also has entered into an agreement with pharma leader Nicholas Piramal for the development and commercialisation of a new synthetic molecule for diabetics. This new drug will go for the phase I clinical trials soon. Another synthetic molecule, developed by the CDRI has got a top private company as partner and will take it to further stages of trials soon.

The CDRI, which has already developed a dozen new drugs and got at least six of them commercialised so far, has also teamed up with Ipca Laboratories for a new synthetic molecule in developing anti malarial drug. A new drug application has already been filed and will be into trials within two to three months, Dr Gupta informed.

In the research for new drugs in the reproductive area, the institute is in talks with multinational Pfizer for further development of a drug as it would be too costly to be borne by Indian companies. Researches are also going on in some other herbal products like the one for bone-joining, again under collaboration with Indigene Pharmaceuticals, especially to help the aged people sustaining fractures.

Dr Gupta said, the biomedical research for new compounds to fight TB also had some encouraging results and a few molecules are likely to be developed soon.

The drugs already developed and licensed by the CDRI for marketing included Centchroman (a non-steroidal oral conceptive marketed by Hindustan Latex under the trade name of Saheli) Centron by Torrent Pharmaceuticals. Centbucridine, a local anaesthetic marketed by Themis Chemicals as Centoblock, Arteether, a blood schizontocidal antimalarial marketed by Themis Chemicals under the trade name of E-Mal, Bulaguin, an antirelapse anti-malarial marketed by Nicholas Piramel under the brand name of Aablaquin and Gugulipid, a hypolipidaemic, marketed by Cipla under the name of Guglip are among the other successful drugs developed by the CDRI.

At least six of the total 12 developed by the institute are in the markets while six others could not be commercialised though purchased by some private companies for marketing. ``We are now including clause in the agreement to buy back and sell to others if a company does not market a product within a couple of years after purchasing it from the CDRI,'' Dr Gupta added.