Sami Labs to launch psoriasis drug

The Bangalore-based neutraceutical major Sami Labs is developing drugs of plant origin to cure psoriasis, cancer and lifestyle diseases.

Currently, Sami Labs is conducting clinical trials of the psoriasis drug in 300 human volunteers in leading Indian hospitals and will soon start human trials in the US and Australia.

Clinical trials in the country are undertaken by Oclinworld, an inhouse clinical research organisation of the Sami Labs Group. Sami Labs plans to launch the drug in the domestic market within a few months as necessary regulatory clearances from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) are awaited.

Single drug treatment options are not available at present to cure psoriasis, a non-contagious lifelong skin disease affected with over 12 crore people worldwide. Sami Labs hopes to make at least two drug leads - on cancer and anti-obesity, into the clinical trial stage very soon, said senior company officials.

The R&D division of Sami Labs with 100 scientists, is currently focussing on biotech drug development for lifestyle diseases and anti-inflammatory segment. An anti-obesity drug is under pre-clinical development stage.

Probiotics and cosmaceuticals are also thrust areas of research and the company markets over 150 herbal products, including a wide range of lifestyle cosmaceuticals. It has received over 21 patents and another 18 are in the pipeline.

Its products are mainly marketed in the US, Australia and Japan. Ocufors, a first of its kind ophthalmic solution for Glaucoma developed from plant extracts of Forskolin, is moving well in the export markets, they said.

The company will soon expand its operations into South Africa by opening its own subsidiary. The company has subsidiaries named as Sabinsa Corporation in Germany, Malasysia, Australia and Japan.

Medicinal plant cultivation and exports of herbal extracts have helped the group's annual turnover exceed Rs.500 crore, including Rs.250 crore plus revenue for Sami Labs.

It undertakes contract cultivation of medicinal plants in an area of over 60,000 acres of land in different parts of the country employing over two lakh farmers directly and indirectly.