Delhi-based research firm Innoveda Biological Solutions has tied up with Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu to develop five botanical drugs for the treatment of diabetes, wound healing, cancer, phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition and inflammation.

“We will together work on five candidate drugs for further development based on the leads available now on both the sides. We are already close to beginning clinical trials on Daibe which we hope will benefit people suffering from diabetes and provide them with a safe way of controlling this disease without side effects,” Innoveda director Sunil Kalra told Pharmabiz.

Diabe, the drug for diabetic vascular complications like atherosclerosis and nephropathy, is a botanical drug as per US FDA guidelines and shall be initially registered as a modern medical drug under DCGI following Schedule Y. Another one under the development is a topical application for enhanced wound healing and to reduce inflammation related to traumatic injury or contact with irritant ants including chemicals and insects. Both these candidate drugs were developed by Innoveda.

Both Innoveda and IIIM will share their leads available so far and work for a drug against cancer. Among the two other drugs will be an oral drug for PDE inhibition and an oral drug as anti inflammatory agent. The leads for the last two were developed by the scientists at the IIIM.

Innoveda will pay to IIIM Rs.1.5 crore for joint development of five drugs. Under this agreement the leads obtained can be out licensed to any foreign company and the earnings and Intellectual Property can be shared equally between the two parties.

“Apart from the diabetes drug, other formulations are still in early stages of discovery. We have a significant amount of data available on their efficacy. Our intention is to begin the pre-clinical works immediately and evaluate the potential of these formulations,” Kalra added.

The collaboration is going to harness the synergies on both the sides as Innoveda has long expertise on the application of traditional drugs based on Ayurveda and IIIM which is under the CSIR has expertise on natural product chemistry and general pharmacology.

Terming such collaborations as vital for standardization of Ayurveda drugs and making them available at affordable prices, IIIM director Dr Ram Vishwakarma said the strong experience of the institute would complement the knowledge of the private partner company.