June 3, 2004
Source: Express Pharma Pulse

Avesthagen receives Rs 2.75 crore public fund for research

EPP News Bureau - Mumbai

Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt Ltd, India’s first discovery-based biotech company, announced achievement of significant development milestones in its DHA research project. Recipient of a Rs 2.75 crore ‘New Millennium Initiative for Technology Leadership’ (NMITLI) grant from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Avesthagen plans to bring the product to market by 2006, the company said in a release.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid essential for the growth and well being of infants, adults and senior citizens. DHA is shown to have a number of beneficial nutrient properties including development of brain function in infants. An essential component of infant food formulas, DHA is currently manufactured from marine sources viz. Thraustochytrids. Current estimates peg the worldwide market for DHA between 300-400 million US dollars, with an expected overall growth of approx. 15 % through 2005. Additionally, there is new evidence that DHA supplementation can help prevent and manage conditions like Alzheimer's, arthritis, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, the release added.

‘‘Avesthagen’s DHA project is a great example for a successful private-public sector partnership. This path breaking research marks the first step towards discovery and development of socially relevant and commercially viable projects for the biotechnology sector in India. The scientific challenge in the project is exciting,’’ said Dr G Padmanaban, former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Chairman of the NMITLI monitoring committee and distinguished scientist in the release.

This in-process research project involves genetically engineering production of DHA in sunflower and yeast by transforming them with genes of the biosynthetic pathway of DHA from the marine organism Schizochytrium (SC-1). Relevant genes from SC-1 are first isolated through an elaborate process and reinserted back into yeast and sunflower. Special conditions then developed maximise the yield of DHA from the genetically modified organisms.

Avesthagen’s team of senior scientists commenced work on the DHA project in 2003 — the process of basic research to market launch is expected to be complete within a compressed time frame of three years by 2006. The research progress was recently presented to the CSIR monitoring group overseeing the project, and the progress was assessed as very good by the committee.

The CSIR institutional partners on the project are RRL, Jammu and NIO, Goa. The company has a strong pipeline of other products in progressive stages of research and development. Elaborating on future plans, Avesthagen’s Founder and CEO, Dr Villoo Morawala Patell said, ‘‘Our research is focused on generating novel nutraceutical products that use medicinal plant-based solutions for chronic degenerative conditions such as diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis etc. where no effective treatment currently exists. By 2010, we will bring to market a range of clinically validated nutritional compounds which will be licensed to large food companies for use as nutraceutical supplements and functional foods.’’

---