Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IIT Indore) has achieved a major milestone in the fight against cancer by transferring a breakthrough technology for the development of a new drug to treat blood cancer (Leukemia) to DK Biopharma.
The innovation focuses on improving treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), an aggressive blood cancer that most often affects children and young adults.
Currently, patients with ALL are treated with a drug called L-asparaginase, which works by starving cancer cells of an essential nutrient.
However, existing forms of this drug often come with serious side effects such as damage to the liver, allergies, and problems with the nervous system. These side effects make treatment very difficult, especially for children who need long-term care.
The new engineered version of L-asparaginase, developed at IIT Indore by Prof. Avinash Sonawane and his research team from the Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, is designed to solve these problems.
The improved drug is:
Safer, with fewer side effects
More effective, capable of destroying over 85% of leukemia cells in lab studies
More stable, which means it can be stored and used more easily
Cheaper to produce, making it more affordable and accessible for patients and hospitals.
Prof. Suhas S. Joshi, Director, IIT Indore said “At IIT Indore, we believe that cutting-edge science should improve people’s lives. This innovation shows how research from our laboratories can bring real hope to patients and families battling life-threatening diseases. The technology transfer is an important step towards making advanced and affordable leukemia treatment a reality.”
This development holds great promise for saving lives and making leukemia treatment easier, especially in countries like India where the high cost of cancer therapy often prevents patients from receiving proper care.
Prof. Avinash Sonawane said “We are proud to see our research on engineered L-asparaginase reaching the stage of technology transfer. Partnering with DK Biopharma brings us closer to delivering a safer, more effective, and affordable treatment for leukemia patients, especially children and young adults who need it the most.”
