Gurgaon based Lifecare Innovations Pvt Ltd has acquired the marketing rights for the novel liposomal formulation of dithranol (Psorisome) developed by the Panjab University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Chandigarh.

The drug, Psorisome, is the result of an industry-institutional research linking UIPS, PGIMER and Lifecare Innovations. Psorisome is the first-ever commercial anti-psoriatic liposomal product in the entire pharma world for topical application.

According to UIPS, the patent applications for Psorisome have already been filed. The said discovery has also been duly cited in very prestigious treatise, "Rook's Textbook of Dermatology", a standard book for medical students and researchers.

Lifecare Innovations had recently launched the first injectable liposomal product of the country, i.e., Fungisome (liposomal amphotericin B).

The technology transfer agreement was signed on 2nd May, 2006 between Panjab University represented by Prof. S. S. Bari, its Registrar and Lifecare Innovations Pvt. Ltd. represented by Dr. J. N. Verma, its Managing Director. Prof. K N. Pathak, the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, handed over the documents of "technology transfer" to Dr. J N Verma.

Dithranol is a historical drug, known earlier as 'Goa Powder'. Although the drug is quite effective therapeutically, yet it had been struggling hard for more than a century owing to its high degree of irritancy and staining both on clothes and skin. For that reason, dithranol had even been banned twice in the past, but was brought back on the protest of dermatologists on account of it being a "drug of choice" in plaque psoriasis. This "dithranol paradox" was resolved successfully by the research team employing a unique innovative liposomal design that worked wondrously in managing the drug therapy in an acceptable manner. Also, the dose has been reduced substantially to around 40 per cent of that normally used in the conventional topical formulations. Accordingly, the discovery has saved huge volumes of time, money and labour that may have continued to expend in searching newer chemical entities (NCEs) as better substitutes to dithranol, IPS statement said.