SAKET SET TO LICENSE OUT NDDS TECHNOLOGY

Indian biotech firm Saket Biotechnologies has announced its readiness to license out its new drug delivery systems (NDDS) technology, which enables proteins and peptides to be taken orally. Saket developed the futuristic technology in conjunction with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technologies (IICT) and already has US patents for its oral drug delivery systems for Hepatitis-B and Insulin doses. The company is now ready to license the development to a multinational pharma firm. Saket, which is currently undergoing a merger with Indian company Transgene Biotek, is set to proceed to phase 1 human trials for its technology in early 2005.

The ability to take insulin and hepatitis B vaccines orally would signify a major advancement in the treatment of diabetes, which affects around 177mn people globally, and hepatitis B, with which approximately 2bn people are thought to be infected. India's diabetes treatment market is worth an estimated INR10bn (US$228.9mn) and the insulin market is currently dominated by the multinational drugmakers, particularly Danish company Novo Nordisk, which claims over three-quarters of total sales. Second is US drug giant Eli Lilly, which claims a share of 15%, followed by US producer US Vitamin, with a share of 4%. The leading domestic company is Wockhardt, which holds a minimal market share.