Amrita Centre for Nanoscience and Molecular Medicine, Kochi scientists lead by Prof. Manzoor Koyakutty and Prof. Shantikumar Nair (Centre Director) received two international patents from USA, Europe, Japan and China for a path-breaking invention on cancer-nanomedicine for treating drug-resistant cancers.
Nanomedicines are tiny nanoparticles (one billionth of a meter) loaded with drug molecules to efficiently treat various types of diseases. This new nanomedicine invented by Amrita team is specifically designed to identify resistant cancer cells and deliver more than one drug molecules simultaneously to stop multiple deregulated cancer mechanisms.
‘From last 05 years, in collaboration with Dr, K Pavithran, Dr Neeraj Sidharthan, and Dr Ranvir Prabhu, at medical-oncology department of AIMS, we were investigating key molecular mechanisms responsible for the chemo-resistance of various types cancers, said Dr Manzoor K, who led the nanomedicine research with Dr Nair. Based on our understanding, we have designed a novel core-shell nanosystem using human proteins and biodegradable polymers to target cancer cells while causing little harm to other healthy organs.
‘This is the first of its kind ‘Cance-nanomedicine’ patents won by Indian scientists by competing at international level and Amrita is proud to make such a significant lead in in the emerging area of cancer-nanotechnology, said Dr Shanti Nair, Director of Amrita Nanocentre.
‘Currently, advanced chemodrugs are unaffordable for common public because most of the inventions are made in USA or Europe. In contrast, our invention is made completely in India and hence this can be made available to common man at affordable cost, said Dr Nair.
Presently Amrita is conducting safety trials in animal models which are mandatory to start human clinical trials. These studies are expected to be completed within next 03-04 years. PhD researchers Dr Parvathy Chandran, Dr Archana Ratnakumari and Giridharan Malarvizhi participated in this invention. Other team members Dr Anusha Ashokan, Dr Girish, Dr Ranjith, Dr Vijay Harish, Dr Jeena, Lakshmi G Kumar, Manju C Abraham, Jyotsna are actively involved in various translational aspects of this innovation. The project was sponsored by Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India.
Nanomedicines are tiny nanoparticles (one billionth of a meter) loaded with drug molecules to efficiently treat various types of diseases. This new nanomedicine invented by Amrita team is specifically designed to identify resistant cancer cells and deliver more than one drug molecules simultaneously to stop multiple deregulated cancer mechanisms.
‘From last 05 years, in collaboration with Dr, K Pavithran, Dr Neeraj Sidharthan, and Dr Ranvir Prabhu, at medical-oncology department of AIMS, we were investigating key molecular mechanisms responsible for the chemo-resistance of various types cancers, said Dr Manzoor K, who led the nanomedicine research with Dr Nair. Based on our understanding, we have designed a novel core-shell nanosystem using human proteins and biodegradable polymers to target cancer cells while causing little harm to other healthy organs.
‘This is the first of its kind ‘Cance-nanomedicine’ patents won by Indian scientists by competing at international level and Amrita is proud to make such a significant lead in in the emerging area of cancer-nanotechnology, said Dr Shanti Nair, Director of Amrita Nanocentre.
‘Currently, advanced chemodrugs are unaffordable for common public because most of the inventions are made in USA or Europe. In contrast, our invention is made completely in India and hence this can be made available to common man at affordable cost, said Dr Nair.
Presently Amrita is conducting safety trials in animal models which are mandatory to start human clinical trials. These studies are expected to be completed within next 03-04 years. PhD researchers Dr Parvathy Chandran, Dr Archana Ratnakumari and Giridharan Malarvizhi participated in this invention. Other team members Dr Anusha Ashokan, Dr Girish, Dr Ranjith, Dr Vijay Harish, Dr Jeena, Lakshmi G Kumar, Manju C Abraham, Jyotsna are actively involved in various translational aspects of this innovation. The project was sponsored by Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India.