Varsity professor develops new drug for treating urinary tract infections

NAGPUR: Associate professor Archana Moon of Nagpur University’s biochemistry department has developed a new drug for treating multi-drug resistant (MDR) uro-pahtogenic bacterial infections, commonly known as urinary tract infections (UTIs).
The research was funded by Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) under Research and Innovation (R&I) Project ‘Technology Transfer’. The project was screened by an expert committee appointed by RUSA and Rs35 lakh was sanctioned in June 2016.
As per norms, the NU needed an industry partner for the project and Zim Laboratories was selected for technology transfer. The company’s managing director Anwar Daud is an alumnus of NU’s pharmaceutical sciences.
Speaking to TOI, Moon said, “The drug is a result of lots of research in the fields of microbiology, molecular biology and Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) to develop the formulation. But, it is also culmination of efforts put in over the last 7 to 8 years.”
She said though the drug has been developed for UTIs, it can also be used for other infections with different molecular combinations.
“The drug works on a three-pronged strategy so that there is no chance of survival of E-Coli microbes unlike other available drugs to which the bacteria has become resistant. The compound is able to inhibit β-lactamase activity, inactivating Beta-lactamases, and block the active site of penicillin binding proteins (PBP), thereby overcoming the deleterious effects of mutations in PBPs of MDR-UTI causative pathogen E-Coli,” she said.
Moon said every year, approximately 80 lakh to 1 crore people suffer from UTI and 75-95% of UTIs are caused by the microbe escherichia coli (E-Coli). “Resistance in gram-negative bacteria (E-Coli) has increased over the last few years, mainly due to the spread of strains producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs),” she said.
She said that drug formulation is a sustained release floating oral tablet, has good efficacy combined with lesser or no side effects, and cost-effective. “Given the MDR menace, the new drug would help in treatment of difficult bacterial infections afflicting millions,” Moon said.
Vice-chancellor SP Kane said Rs50lakh would be invested by the company in clinical trials of the drug.
During technology transfer, Kane, pro-VC Pramod Yeole, and registrar Puran Meshram were present, besides Moon and Daud.
Zim Labs and Moon have now jointly filed a patent with the Indian Patent Office. The project was selected among the best three from Maharashtra and highlighted at the national level by RUSA.