The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad has developed nano-fibre based oral tablets of Amphotericin B, called as AmB, to treat fungal infections post COVID treatment. Currently, the AmB is available in injectable form.
The IIT Hyderabad researchers have decided to keep the technology free of intellectual property rights and ready for technology transfer for mass production of the drug, which is reportedly cheaper and higher AmB absorption and less Nephrotoxicity.
Prof. Saptarshi Majumdar and Dr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma from the Department of Chemical Engineering have made a study two year ago about oral nanofibrous AmB to be effective for Kala Azar. This was a first-ever attempt to fabricate nanofibrous oral tablets of Amphotericin B for the potential cure of Kala Azar.
The researchers are confident that the technology can be transferred to suitable pharma partners for large-scale production. The researchers recalled that Kala-Azar treatment is being currently used as a treatment for Mucormycosis in the country and opined that the immediate trial of this oral drug should be taken up to increase affordability and availability of the drug.