The Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is planning to get GLP accreditation for the animal house facility as per the OECD guidelines, which will enable clinical data to be accepted in 40 countries. The recognition will be given by GLP monitoring authority, the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

IICT is also planning to obtain accreditation from the National Accreditation Board of Testing and Calibration Laboratory (NABL), DST, for its drug-testing laboratory, which is part of its Pharmacology Division, making the laboratory, country's fourth NABL accredited laboratory, Dr Prakash V Diwan, said.

He revealed, the Institute is also going to develop a Cath Lab facility in collaboration with Relisys Medical Devices (Hyderabad) for conducting experiments on rabbits and swine models at IICT, which is claimed to be first of its kind in Asia.

The pharmacology division of IICT is involved in new drug development, pharmacokinetics, drug and cosmetic testing of finished products (the only central Govt. Lab recognized in AP), novel drug delivery systems and oral delivery for insulin, peptides and vaccines.

Dr Diwan explained, IICT has excellent animal house facility, which is used for the pre-clinical toxicity of drugs on small animals such as rats, mice, rabbits and guinea pigs. The Pharmacology division is equipped with latest equipments such as HPLC, Auto Titrator, Blood Cell Counter, Auto Blood Analyser, Robotic Liquid Handling and Solid Phase Extraction Units.