We have plans for eight biologics: Anji Reddy

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We have plans for eight biologics: Anji Reddy

Dr Anji Reddy talks about the cutting edge research happneing at Dr Reddy's Labs.

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Excerpts from What's Hot on CNBC-TV18 Watch the full show » ALSO READ See latest News about Dr Reddys Labs See previous management interviews See what other Experts & Brokerages are saying about Dr Reddys Labs Nifty BSE | NSE 25/05/12 Are Mutual Funds betting on Nifty?

India's pioneering pharmaceuticals entrepreneur, Dr Anji Reddy talks about the cutting edge research happening at Dr Reddy's Labs .

Excerpts from an interview given to CNBC-TV18

Q: Of some of your other ambitious and exciting research projects one is RCT (Reverse Cholesterol Transport), also there is a lot of progress and you are also working on a atherosclerosis drug, could you briefly tell us about those particular projects?

A: First about the atherosclerosis drug, it all started with a research paper published by two scientists from Columbia University. They hypothesized that the over expression of perlican enzyme in the human body could lead to a reversal of atherosclerosis because of three elements. It curbs  inflammation, it curbs thrombosis . Incidentally it so happened, that three years after these papers were published, he joined my Atalanta Lab as Vice President and we developed 3108, based on his hypothesis.

We filed IPs on that and in 2006, nine years after it hypothesized - the Karolinska Institute in Sweden - where the Nobel Prize for medicine is decided - those scientists have worked on 45 patients who were suffering from atherosclerosis and they found that in all these patients, the perlican was under-expressed, to the extent of 30%-40%. Thus, nine years after my scientists made this hypothesis, it was validated by no less than the Karolinska Institute.

Coming to the Reverse Cholesterol Transport, we have been working on this for quite some time because the CETP is one approach to increase the hedge deal. But RCT is totally different approach, many people have tried it but they did not go anywhere beyond phase one. For example, the recent RCT approach of Astra Zeneca, which tied up with Avanir Pharmaceuticals - the compound failed in phase one. So, in the case of our RCT, we have a totally different approach from Avanir. In Atlanta, we have demonstrated which genes are our compound's trigger and then we filed an IP on  the target itself, and we are in the process of developing compounds based on that. We hope that we will be able to get to this unmet medical need.

Q: You have also embarked on an ambitious project in biologicals.

A: This year, we came out with a biosimilar version of Rituximab and this is the first biosimilar in the whole world for any monoclonal antibody. This is the first biosimilar and in that way we have broken the record. This is already in the market and the patients are responding very well - the oncologists are very happy with our product. In fact, at this point of time, we are not able to meet the demand. So, we are actually expanding and we will continue this launching spree in the biologic space and we will continue to bring at least one monoclonal antibody or any other biologic every year, and we already have plans for eight biologics.

Q: It is always said that Dr Reddy and Dr Parvinder Singh and Dr Yusuf Hamied are the three people who've actually given the broad framework for Indian companies to grow. What do you think about the Indian businesses as far as Ranbaxy and Cipla is concerned?

A: I think Ranbaxy will continue with its R&D but Dr Yusuf Hamied is a keen follower of what I am doing. One day, a year ago or two ago, I received an e-mail saying that 'we are all proud of you' and I replied to him saying that, "Yusuf, I still consider you as my guru, if only you had come to this NCE research, you would have been far ahead of us and you would have been a trendsetter in the world", because Dr Yusuf Hamied is a pure organic chemist, he did his PhD under Alexander Todd whereas I am a hybrid chemist, I am a chemical engineer.