Glenmark Pharma working on four new asthma compounds

Anju Ghangurde

Mumbai, Aug 26: THE fast-growing Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is working on four more compounds — currently in pre-clinical development — in the asthma segment, as part of its drug discovery programme.

These compounds, codenamed GRC-3049, GRC 3059, GRC-3062 and GRC-3064, are shown to be highly active in-vitro. Glenmark plans to follow an “outlicensed” drug discovery model whereby it would seek licensing opportunities once the molecule reaches a particular stage of development.

Sources say that these four compounds belong to a series of chemical compounds distinct from GRC-3015, the most advanced asthma molecule in Glenmark’s discovery pipeline. GRC-3015, which belongs to a novel drug target phosphodieterase enzyme 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, is undergoing advanced pre-clinical trials and an investigational new drug (IND) filing is expected in 2002.

Sources say that after GRC-3015, the next most-promising compound at this stage appears to be GRC-3064 and as of July 2001, Glenmark had filed three new chemical entity (NCE) patents (which includes two for asthma). The company also expects to invest approximately $2 million in pre-clinical studies in 2001-2002. Glenmark has already invested Rs 21 crore in fixed assets towards research and development (R&D) during 2000-01.

Glenmark also has a string of alliances with a host of Indian institutes including the CSIR and the department of science and technology (DST) (research is being done at the National Chemical Labs, the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology and Central Drug Research Institute) to augment its R&D efforts. Sources say that the collaboration with the CSIR revolves around two projects in the pain & inflammation and obesity segments. “Both parties split the work and the upside on the project. Products emerging out of the alliance will be jointly patented,” they added.