While the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is yet to draft the blueprint for using the Rs 150 crore pharma R&D fund, it is learnt that the concept of a corpus fund would offer more flexibility in terms of fund utilisation.Under the existing programme of DST, the DPRP (Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research Programme), the fund is required to be used up in the same financial year. In case of lack of appropriate projects, the secretary could redirect only up to 30 per cent of the surplus for other programmes and the rest would not be available for next year. However, under the proposed corpus of Rs 150 crore which the Centre would keep with itself and the interest accrued would be provided to DST for its programmes. DST could allocate funds from this amount accrued according to the projects in hand and the requirement. It could carry forward the surplus amount rather than supporting unmerited projects.It is learnt that with the R&D fund for pharma going operational there will not be a separate programme or funding for DPRP. The executive committee that oversees DPRP would undertake the management of the Rs 150 crore R&D fund. The fund allocation for the current financial year for the DPRP programme is Rs 10 crore. It is expected that around Rs 20 crore would be available for funding annually from next fiscal onwards from the interest accumulated on the R&D fund. The plan is to support pharmaceutical research, at the same time setting up testing facilities and building up clinical study capabilities in the country.The Expert Committee on DPRP has in its recent meeting taken a positive view of one siddha and veterinary project each, it is learnt. The former is a rheumatoid arthritis drug programme and the latter is on ectoparasite of cattle, said DST sources. The three-year project with an estimated funding of about Rs one crore is proposed by Sastra Deemed University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, the Tamil University and the Chennai-based Citadel Fine Pharmaceuticals. The programme would evaluate a few existing siddha herbal preparations for rheumatoid arthritis using scientific methods and standardise the products. The Siddha Department of the Tamil University has an OPD where clinical trials would be undertaken on these products. The project would also determine the right composition of the herbal preparations to ensure optimum activity and right dosage. The industry partner Citadel will bring in about Rs 25 lakh and the rest would be funded by DST.In the project on electroparasite of cattle herbal preparations including neem would be studied. The participating organisations would identify and develop the active ingredients to target such unsettling parasites on cattle. The Rs 88 lakh three-year project would be undertaken by Central Institute of Research on Goats, Mathura and Natural Remedies, Bangalore, wherein the industry partner would bring in about one-forth of the investment required. The department is also evaluating a proposal by NCL Pune and Lupin Laboratories on drug delivery systems. The department has asked the participants to redraft the proposal, as it needs additional clarification and define the focus of research. —From Express Pharma Pulse
