When CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) here signed a pact with Sun Pharma to ‘out-license’ a patent for a new chemical entity with a potential for developing life saving drugs for multiple elements last month, it set off a buzz in the industry and research bodies about its ‘National Mol Bank (NMB)’.
The compound handed over to the pharma company was sourced from this famed bank housing about 60,000 diverse molecules — either synthesised in the lab or isolated from natural resources. It had helped IICT net an unprecedented ₹240 crore as first instalment of royalty!
Inside IICT campus, the facility has a fully sterile atmosphere with consistently maintained temperature and round-the-clock power back-up for molecules stored in vials or tubes in solid or liquid forms. These are thrice bar-coded and labelled for advanced safety in tall shelves.
Each compound is in its purest form and has been tested in some experiment or other so the basic reactions data is maintained.
“When a firm approaches us seeking a certain molecule to deal with certain ailment or a target, we suggest compounds based on how much its enzyme responds in suppressing the bacteria. It is like searching for a needle in a haystack. These are tested in cells and later in rodents and are fully safe before human trials begin,” explains IICT Director S. Chandrasekhar.
What is unique about NMB is that it was set up with help of an MNC. Glaxo SmithKline helped IICT develop the framework as pharma MNCs have huge Mol banks. Institute scientists were allowed to visit one such unit to plan for NMB here and the Department of Science & Technology provided funding of ₹15 crore. “This is the biggest facility in public sector and we have sought sourcing of pure chemical compounds/molecules from various research institutes, universities and other from across the country. We are adding upto 8,000 every year,” says Prathama S. Mainkar, senior principal scientist and NMB in-charge.
NMB can store upto 1.6 million molecules in solid and liquid forms with storage and retrieval automated. “We consider this facility our diamond mine. Sample purity too is checked once a year and we have 8,000 isolated from natural resources,” adds Dr. Mainkar.
Dr. Chandrasekhar says the institute is ready to out-licence three molecules immediately to the industry for product development, manufacture and regulatory filing for development of affordable life saving drugs. “Just like generics drugs, we can facilitate the country to become an active player in drug discovery,” he insists.
