Indian scientists make significant contribution to cancer treatment

‘Team of researchers have come out with an ideal lead molecule with promising results’

A team of Indian scientists have made significant contribution in synthesising a molecule, which holds out a promise for targeted treatment of cancer.

The team from University of Mysore and Bangalore University are in collaboration with the Cancer Science Institute (CSI) of Singapore for the project.

Peter E. Lobie, who is a cancer biologist and one of the key investigators of the project, told media persons on the sidelines of the Indian Science Congress here on Tuesday that the Indian research teams were given a target and they made a series of compounds for them to screen.

“We identified a potential lead molecule from the compound and asked for another set of compounds based on the lead molecule. The team of researchers under K.S. Rangappa — who is the Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore — have come out with an ideal lead molecule with promising results,” he said.

The project is in the advanced stage and Dr. Lobie said they were perhaps about two to three years away from registering for a new drug for clinical trials.

Basappa, professor in Bangalore University, who is associated with the project, told The Hindu that their brief was to design an anti-cancer drug-like compound, which was developed successfully. It has properties to attack the cancerous cell without affecting the healthy cells of cancer patients. “It is specific to the cancer cells and inhibits its growth,” said Prof. Basappa.

The efficacy was being studied in case of mice and successfully demonstrated and the project was entering the next stage of trials to optimise the results, he said.

Prof. Lobie said funding will be a major factor from this stage onwards and he was trying to raise capital from China for the next stage of the project.

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