NIT Rourkela Develops Novel Cotarnine Derivative For Oral Cancer Therapy
The researchers said the developed derivative demonstrated anticancer activity against oral cancer cells, particularly tongue cancer cells, at low concentrations.: Reports
ROURKELA: Researchers from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Berhampur have developed a novel cotarnine-derived formulation with potential applications in oral cancer therapy.
The research, involving scientists from the departments of Chemistry and Life Science at NIT Rourkela and the department of chemistry at IISER Berhampur, focused on the design, synthesis and formulation of a new cotarnine derivative to explore alternative therapeutic approaches for oral cancer.
The innovation has been granted a patent titled “Design, Synthesis, and Formulation of a Cotarnine Derivative for Oral Cancer Therapy” under Patent No. 604125.
The inventors are Laxmipriya Prusty, Prof. Harekrushna Sahoo, Sruti Biswal and Prof. Bibekanand Mallick of NIT Rourkela, and Pradyota Kumar Behera and Prof. Laxmidhar Rout of IISER Berhampur.
The researchers said the developed derivative demonstrated anticancer activity against oral cancer cells, particularly tongue cancer cells, at low concentrations. The findings, they said, provide a basis for further preclinical investigations.
“Through an integrated approach involving molecular design, synthesis and formulation, we have developed a promising candidate with potential for further preclinical and translational research,” Prof. Harekrushna Sahoo said.
Prof. Bibekanand Mallick said the derivative showed “significant activity” against oral cancer cells, particularly tongue cancer cells, even at very low concentrations. “The next important step is to validate these findings through further preclinical studies, including animal studies, followed by clinical evaluation,” he said.
The researchers, however, stressed that further studies are necessary to establish the formulation’s safety, efficacy and therapeutic potential before any clinical application.
The patented technology highlights the potential of interdisciplinary research combining medicinal chemistry and life sciences in developing new approaches to cancer treatment. The patent also adds to NIT Rourkela’s efforts to translate academic research into potential healthcare applications and generate indigenous intellectual property.
