Ranbaxy in pact for new drug discovery
By Ranbaxy and NIPER had jo | 30 Apr 2004
New Delhi: Ranabaxy Laboratories Ltd has entered into an agreement with National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali and Department of Science & Technology (DST), for research in new drug discovery.
Ranbaxy and NIPER had jointly conceived the project titled `Computer Aided Drug Design & Synthesis of novel small molecules as potential anti-asthma agents'.
As per the alliance, Ranbaxy and DST will fund NIPER, to synthesise small molecules as anti-asthma drugs. Ranbaxy will screen these molecules and identify candidates for further development.
The agreement was signed by C.L. Kaul, Director, NIPER, Kasim Mookhtiar, Vice-President - NDDR, R&D, Ranbaxy, and G.J. Samathanam, Director, DST.
According to Mookhtiar, "The Indian pharmaceutical industry is changing rapidly. The impending product patents regime, liberalisation of price controls and structural changes in pharma companies, are going to affect the industry."