Dabur Pharma Ltd today launched `Nanoxel', a novel drug delivery system for the widely used anti-cancer drug paclitaxel, claiming it as India's first indigenously developed nanotechnology based chemotherapy agent.

Announcing the launch here at a press conference, company chairman Dr Anand Burman said it was first nanoparticle drug delivery system outside the United States.

Billed as the first cremophor free paclitaxel eliminating the need of premedication, the new drug is claimed to have made better response during the clinical trials held in 14 centres across the country. The company, which began the research on it in 1997, has developed and manufactured the drug at its own facility, besides taking up the marketing too.

Dr Rama Mukherjee, president R&D at Dabur Research Foundation (DRF), said the `drug is a result of years of persevering research in the application of progressive technology for the treatment of various types of cancer. Owing to its water insolubility, the widely used chemotherapy agent paclitaxel is now used with a castor oil based solvent. Cremophor in turn is an agent for life threatening side effects. This drug is cremophor free water soluble formulation, and is indicated as an effective and safe therapy for advanced breasts, non-small-cell lung and ovarian cancinomas.''

The company would soon launch clinical trials in the neighbouring countries and is hoping to market the product in Europe and some other countries in the next 18-26 months time, Dr Burman said.

`Nanoparticle drug delivery devices like Nanoxel enable therapy to take a preferential course to the cancerous cells and directly interact with the tumour causing agents thereby throwing open a larger window for anti-tumour activity,'' observed Dr S H Advani, director of medical oncology at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, on the occasion.

The product is available in all specialist cancer therapy providers and healthcare institutes for cancer treatment from today. The $250 million Dabur Pharma has been into cancer research and anti-cancer products. It also markets a range of products in the cardiovascular, antibacterial, anti-diabetic and digestive segments.