In an effort to commercialize innovations in the country, the Open Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) project of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is now looking to provide affordable healthcare to the developing world. The Union government has already committed funding assistance to the tune of Rs.150 crore towards this project. An equivalent amount of funding would be raised from international agencies and philanthropists. Around Rs.46 crore has been already released by the Government of India, stated Prof Samir K Brahmachari, director general, CSIR and secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research during his recent visit to Bangalore.
CSIR has devised two models: OSDD and Fourth Paradigm of Science for speedy drug development which are cost-effective and efficacious. “Under these projects, the Council is providing a global platform where the best minds can collaborate and collectively make efforts to solve the complex problems associated with discovering novel therapies for neglected tropical diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, leshmaniasis, among others,” he stated.
OSDD is a CSIR team India consortium with global partnership and Fourth Paradigm of Science is based on intensive data analysis. Both OSD and Fourth Paradigm of Science concepts allow to collaboratively combine the biological and genetic information available to scientists and help them to hasten the discovery of drugs. This will provide a unique opportunity for scientists, doctors, technocrats, students and others with diverse expertise to work for a common cause,” stated Prof Brahmachari.
The success of OSDD models in Information Technology which covers web technology, Linux operating system and biotechnology to support Human Genome Sequencing requires high-end computing capabilities of experts to enable the exploration of massive data, stated Prof Brahmachari.
“There are ten technologies which are identified for the OSDD which currently covers chem-informatics and infectious diseases. For the future, it would look at genomics, nutri-genetics, and nutraceuticals, only because major efforts are on to make food as drugs. Considerable research is on in the areas of bio-engineering to develop edible bacteria and supplement nutrition through flavours. There are also extensive studies on enzymatic detoxificants. Scientists are also engineering the human gut as a factory for drugs and drug like molecules. In a few years, we would see more modified microbes and probiotics. To ensure a faster development of these findings, CSIR’s effort is to seek collaborations at a large scale and network as an organization with a multi sided business focus to shape as a science model that is stabilized by information,” he said.
In this background, the Council on May 2, 2011 founded the CSIR Tech India to help it to generate revenues by commercializing indigenous technologies. The new company will work closely with CSIR units to help commercialize research and technologies, stated Prof Brahmachari adding that this move could trigger a new model of technology commercialization for Indian research and development. Further, for fund infusion, the Council has also initiated a dialogue with SBI Capital Market, ICICI and IDBI to support the new venture.