The Central Government will allocate Rs 60 crore for the year 2005-'06 for the proposed Golden Triangle Partnership (GTP) mission project, which will create synergy between traditional and modern medicine and to develop drugs of national importance.

Disclosing the details exclusively to Pharmabiz in Chennai last week, Tara Dutt, joint secretary, Department of Ayush, said the project would take off from April 1, 2005.

Each of the three partners in the project, the Department of AYUSH, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will contribute Rs 20 crore each for the project in the first year of operation.

"Since the existing formulations in the ISM sector are time tested, GTP will concentrate more on molecular verification according to modern parameters. It will be an ongoing process to develop and standardize new drugs, and adequate funds will be allocated from time to time," said Tara Dutt.

He said scientific and technical committees would be formed soon with five to six expert members to decide on the priority areas. On the role of private players in the GTP partnership, he said the steering committee, in association with other committees would decide on that aspect at a later stage.

He said an apex committee, chaired by the secretary, Department of Ayush, and the director generals of CSIR and ICMR as members, has also been formed for the GTP mission.

As reported in Pharmabiz earlier, the GTP will have a steering committee to suggest the steps that to be taken at different stages for implementing the project. GTP will identify specific diseases to work on, and the steering committee will closely monitor and interact with the technical advisory committees for each of the specific diseases covered under the project.

Golden Triangle, mainly the brainchild of R A Mashelkar, CSIR director general, also envisages participation of the private sector, mainly the Ayurvedic drug manufacturers. The GTP will associate with the ongoing and proposed research works of private sector drug manufacturers, mainly in the form of partnership in research and investment.