Other Names: CDRI
Address: Post Box No. 173
Lucknow-226001
Website: http://www.cdriindia.org
Phone: 0522-212411-18
Subordinate to: Institution of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
Size: The institute is made up of 17 research and development divisions, 9 technical service division/sections, 3 national facilities, 2 data stations, and 1 field center. The institute is staffed by 234 scientists and 330 technical staff.
Primary Function: Conducts drug research

History:
The institute was established on 17 February 1951 under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, in an effort to strengthen and advance the field of drug research in India.

Activities:
The institute performs basic and applied research on major parasitic diseases such as malaria, filariasis, and leishmaniasis. Its studies focus mainly on chemotherapy, immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and genomics.

The institute divides its research into three different areas: In-house Projects, Contract Research Programs, and Regulatory Studies. In-house Projects are those directed at national health problems or family welfare or are related to an internationally important disease. Contract Research Programs are those carried out in tandem with outside industries or agencies. Regulatory Studies involves such tasks as testing the quality of drugs developed and the effects of the drugs on its users.

The institute's 17 different research and development divisions are divided into the following sections: Biochemistry, Botany, Chemical Technology, Clinical & Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology, Fermentation Technology, Medical Mycology, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Toxicology.

The institute has created a new facility for structural biology research composed of a wet laboratory housed with state-of-the-art equipment for cloning/expression and purification of proteins, a modern X-ray laboratory with a P4 single crystal X-ray diffractometer system for small molecule crystallography, a MAR 345 image-plate detector on an RU-300 rotating anode X-ray generator with a cryo-cooling system for macromolecule crystallography, a precision camera on a FR590 X-ray generator for preliminary diffraction work, and a computer graphics laboratory for molecular modeling and crystallographic computations. The facility will be used for atomic level structure determination of proteins and small molecules of biological and structural importance required for knowledge-based drug design through molecular modeling.

The institute has set up in-house facilities for both combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput screening (HTS) as tools in its drug discovery program. This central facility houses a multiple organic synthesizer 496 MOSA for combinatorial synthesis and an automated robotics high-throughput screening system BMG Polar Star Galaxy with optional accessories.

Other technical infrastructure consists of specialized facilities for biometry and statistics, instruments maintenance, glassblowing, R&D planning, IPR protection, licensing, and international coordination. A new computer software program is used to simulate animal tests in order to avoid the use of live animals.

The institute has the capability to perform chemical synthesis, extraction from natural products and structure elucidation, and synthesis of novel molecules of known and new structural types exhibiting biological activity. It also includes a laboratory and large scale extraction of ethanolic extracts of plant material and isolation of active principle(s). It can carry out synthesis of novel structures and structure elucidation of active compounds using sophisticated techniques. Facilities are also available for 170 in vitro/in vivo test systems (antifertility, antifilarial, antiamoebic, antileishmanial, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, immunomodulator, CNS & CVS and other pharmacological activities).

The institute has a specialized herbarium of medicinal plants containing some 6000 species representing about 1/3 of Indian flora for reference purposes.

The institute carries out a standardization of synthetic and plant-based drugs by monitoring through HPTLC and HPLC of active constituents as markers vis-à-vis their biological activity. Chemical fingerprinting of herbal drugs is also carried out by LCMS to have a complete picture of different organic constituents. Standardization of candidate drugs is carried out as per ICH guidelines. Facilities for preclinical toxicity evaluation and pharmacokinetics and phase-I clinical findings are available.

Pilot plant-scale facilities exist for the synthetic and natural products. The facilities for natural products include grinding, extraction, and concentration.

Fermentation technology facilities cover culture isolation and improvement, bench-scale optimization of process parameters, and scaling-up of the bioprocesses to laboratory/pilot fermenter level. Fermenters are also available from 5 to 1500 L, along with downstream processing facilities, allowing centrifugation, extraction, concentration, and drying. Studies carried out on various biotransformation processes at bench level in novel bioreactor systems use both free and immobilized biocatalysts.

The institute has been successful in the development of the following drugs:

• Centchroman: A non-steroidal oral contraceptive, the first non-steroidal oral contraceptive to have been developed any where in the world. It is a weak estrogen and a potent anti-estrogen with a high therapeutic index. It is currently being marketed by Hindustan Latex Ltd. under the trade name Saheli.
• Centbucridine: A local anesthetic, 4-5 times more potent than lidocaine (lignocaine), with rapid onset of action and a wider safety profile due to its antihistaminic and vasoconstrictor properties. It is currently being marketed by Themis Chemicals Ltd. under the name Centoblok.
• Arteether: A blood schizontocidal antimalarial developed from the plant Artemisia annua, effective in treatment of uncomplicated and complicated cases of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. It is marketed by Themis Chemicals Ltd. under the trade name E-Mal.
• Bulaquin: an anti-relapse antimalarial, safer in comparison to primaquine. It is marketed by Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. as a combination therapy along with chloroquine under the trade name Aablaquin.
• Gugulipid: A hypolipidemic and standardised fraction of the plant Commiphora mukul. It possesses hypolipidemic efficacy comparable to clofibrate but is tolerated better. It is being marketed by CIPLA Ltd. under the trade name Guglip.
• A laxative derived from the Isapgol seed husk.
• Standardised Herbal Remedy: A memory enhancer derived from the plant Bacopa monniera. It has been duly confirmed for biological activity and safety in laboratory animals, and has been licensed to Lumen Marketing Company, Chennai for marketing.
• Isaptent: A cervical dilator for medical termination of pregnancy, developed from the plant Plantago ovata. It is being marketed by Unichem Laboratories Ltd. as Dilex-C.

In addition, several products are available for licensing or are currently in clinical trials in collaboration with the industry:

• Centpropazine: An antidepressant.
• Consap: A spermicidal cream derived from soapnut.
• Picroliv: A hepatoprotective plant based standardized remedy for diabetes.

The institute has also identified several "new leads in both synthetic and natural product areas possessing hepatoprotective, antihypertensive-cum-cardioprotective, antiulcer, wound-healing, and antidiabetic activities." This includes some leads obtained from marine flora and fauna.

Key Sources: Parasitology Centres, <http://www.parasitologyindia.org/parasitology_centers.htm>; Central Drug Research Institute, <http://www.cdriindia.org/>; Ram Dutt Tirpathi, "Indian Software Replaces Lab Animals," BBC News, 6 June 2003.

	Updated September 2003