Oral drug to treat Black Fungus ready for technology transfer, says IIT-Hyd researchers

PTI, May 30, 2021, 10:11 AM IST

Hyderabad: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, have developed an oral solution to treat Black Fungus (Mucormycosis) and other fungus and are ready to transfer the technology to take it forward, the premier institute said.

A 60-mg tablet, which can be priced at about Rs 200, is patient-friendly as its slow and sustained release in the body reduces nephrotoxicity (adverse impact of medicines and chemicals on the kidney), IIT said in a release on Saturday.

Professor Saptarshi Majumdar and Dr Chandra Shekhar Sharma from the Department of Chemical Engineering have made a proven study about oral nanofibrous AMB to be effective for Kala Azar (visceral leishmaniasis).

”With the two years of advancement of examination, the researchers are now confident that the technology can be transferred to suitable pharma partners for large-scale production. At present, the Kala-Azar treatment is being used as a treatment for Black and other Fungus in the country and its availability and affordability make it need to allow emergency and immediate trial of this oral drug,” IIT-H said.

The technology developed is made free from intellectual property rights so that it can be mass-produced and is affordable and available to the public at large, Dr Chandra Shekhar Sharma said.