Tirunelveli based Manonmaniam Sundaranar University's (MSU) Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry has signed an MoU with Alathur Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (APMA) in Kancheepuram district for setting up a herbal pharma park and a Natural Products Research Centre on the University premise at Abhishekapatti.

Following the agreement, the University has allotted 10 acres of land for establishing the herbal pharma park and cultivation of medicinal plants, which will be bought by the pharmaceutical companies, says Dr S Gopalakrishnan, Head of Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, MSU.

The agreement includes an 'Animal House' to be developed in the proposed Natural Product Research Centre, which will help university researchers to perform pharmacological and toxicological studies of biologically active novel drugs, Dr Gopalakrishnan said while interacting with Pharmabiz.

The Animal House will be set up with a plinth area of 2,000 sq ft at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. The financial assistance will be provided by APMA. The site and the plan for the new building accommodating Animal House and Research Centre for the Dept of Pharmaceutical Chemistry has been approved by MSU and the approval was granted to APMA for starting the construction work, he said.

As per the MoU, a collaborative DST Major Project proposal for new drug development is being prepared and will be sent to the Department of Science & Technology thereby sophisticated and state-of-the art Instruments can be procured.

The agreement would enable post-graduate and research scholars of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry to get training in various aspects of pharma R&D. "This job-oriented course has been designed to prepare personnel for top positions in pharmaceutical sector, R&D centres, drug testing laboratories and to train young entrepreneurs in drugs and pharmaceuticals," he said.

The department head said the parties to this understanding shall share the royalty between the inventor Institution and the Industry at the ratio to be mutually decided on case to case basis on specific issues after getting approved by the Manonmanium Sundaranar University.

Technological charges will be on a net profit sharing basis: That is 40 per cent will go to the University, 20 per cent to the Inventor and 40 per cent to the Industry. On Commercialization charges, which is also on net profit Sharing basis, 60 per cent will be to the Industry and 40 per cent to the University (20 per cent to the Institution 20 per cent to the Inventor).

The University has launched a new two year (four semesters) M.Sc. Pharmaceutical Chemistry (CBCS) course from the academic year 2006-2007. The job oriented course is designed to prepare trained personnel for highly professional and top position in drugs and pharmaceutical industries, research and developments centre and drug testing laboratories and also to train young entrepreneurs in the area of drugs and pharmaceuticals and allied disciplines. Leading pharma companies like Biocon, Orchid Pharma and Shasun Research Centre have collaborated in the curricula.

The first two semesters provide students the relevant knowledge of chemistry required in the drug development, drug delivery and in study of mechanism of drug action. Application of analytical techniques and research methodology is also covered in the first two semesters. The third semester in the second year is devoted to an intensive course work on the most relevant areas of pharmacy including chemistry of natural products, medicinal agents and science of pharma company information and analysis of drugs. In the fourth semester, the students are given one full semester (4 months) project work, which they do in established pharmaceutical companies or research labs and get practical knowledge in drug development and research.

This year pharmaceutical units like Syngene International Ltd, Bangalore, Orchid Pharma and Retort Lab in Chennai have agreed to take two students each for the fourth semester project work. The students with this project and training in pharma companies are fully eligible for placement, he said.