NCL joins Altana for plant-based drugs

The Euro 2.4 billion German pharma major, Altana Pharma AG, is all set to collaborate with India's National Chemical Laboratories (NCL) to pursue research in plant-based drugs.

This basic research outsourcing for a period of two to three years in the initial phase will involve substantial investment by Altana as it targets identification of several new lead compounds from plants and natural substances widely used for traditional medicines.

Altana's project with NCL is learnt to be the first of its kind initiated by a multinational company in India. It will screen and identify lead compounds from plants and natural products to be developed into potential drug candidates, which will have a global market potential.

The company's total investment in the outsourcing project is not known. Its total R&D spend in 2006 is going to be in the range of Euro 450-500 million globally. Worldwide,

Ulrich Thaibaut, member of the board of management, research and development, Altana Pharma, told Business Standard that this is the first research collaboration that Altana has initiated with an Indian scientific institution and it is open to have collaborations with local industry as well.

"We may have certain projects, which require collaborative efforts with Indian firms. Once those projects are in our R&D pipeline, we will initiate talks with the Indian companies," he said.

"India is a very important location now for our global trials and we have already initiated several phase-II and III clinical trials in India," he added.

The international research-based company provides innovative pharmaceuticals and focuses on therapeutics for the treatment of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. Its investment in R&D - approximately one-fifth of therapeutics sales revenues - increased steadily and in 2005, stood at Euro 418 million.

The firm employs 9,000 people in 30 countries and has stake in ventures with Cadila - Zydus Altana Healthcare - for manufacturing intermediates.