Sami Labs Limited, the herbal extracts major catering mainly to US markets, bagged the national award for in house research & development initiatives for the year 2002. The award was given away by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under the category of 'Chemicals and Allied Industries." The award was presented by Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi, union minister for science and technology at the 16th National Conference on in-house R&D in industry. The national award for Sami is for the development of five new products and processes.

This year's national award is one of the 17 national and all-India awards won by Sami Labs since its inception in 1991.

The company's efforts were earlier recognised by the government of India when it received a National Award for Basic Drugs in 1994. The government of Karnataka has awarded Sami Labs between 1997-2000, the Vivesvaraya Award for outstanding export performance for its Export Oriented Unit at Kunigal. In addition, the company has also won three awards in 2002 from the government of India for development of value-added spice products and its export performance.

The company holds eight US patents with 15 additional patent applications pending. Among the most popular products of the Sami Labs are Bioperine, a patented derivative of black pepper that enhances absorption of nutrients in the body and Boswellin, derived from the gum of Boswellia serrata tree (Salai Guggul) used in the treatment of arthritis. Others are Gugulipid with lipid lowering properties, Curuminoids from the roots of turmeric pant that has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. The company is also the largest producer of L-selenomethionine worldwide, used as a micronutrient source with anti-tumorigenic potency.

The company has spent about nine per cent of its annual turnover - Rs. 65 crore on research and development compared to pharma related industries average, which is pegged at 2.3 to 2.5 per cent.

According to Dr. Majeed, the company is way ahead in its line of business on account of its importance given to standardisation of extracts. "This means the potency of the active ingredient can also be measured accurately and maintained ensuring high standard of quality."