Breakthrough in Oral Cancer Treatment: NIT Rourkela Researchers Unveil Innovative Cotarnine Derivative

Innovative Research at NIT Rourkela

Raurkela: A team of researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela's Chemistry and Life Science departments, in partnership with IISER Berhampur, has created a groundbreaking cotarnine-derived formulation aimed at treating oral cancer. This research emphasizes the design, synthesis, and formulation of a new cotarnine derivative, exploring its therapeutic potential against oral cancer. By merging medicinal chemistry with formulation science, the team has produced a candidate ready for preclinical trials. Their innovation has been patented under the title “Design, Synthesis, and Formulation of a Cotarnine Derivative for Oral Cancer Therapy,” with Patent No. 604125.

The inventors of this promising work include Laxmipriya Prusty, Harekrushna Sahoo, Sruti Biswal, and Bibekanand Mallick from NIT Rourkela, along with Pradyota Kumar Behera and Laxmidhar Rout from IISER Berhampur. Oral cancer poses a significant health risk, especially in India, where late-stage diagnosis and the limitations of traditional treatments can severely impact patient outcomes. In response, the researchers have synthesized a cotarnine derivative and formulated it to assess its anticancer properties.

The patented technology is rooted in the strategic design and formulation of a cotarnine-derived molecular entity that has shown anticancer effects against oral cancer cells. The team believes this formulation could pave the way for additional studies to evaluate its safety and effectiveness. Sahoo remarked that the creation of the cotarnine derivative marks a crucial advancement in the search for new molecular entities for oral cancer treatment. “By employing an integrated approach that combines molecular design, synthesis, and formulation, we have crafted a promising candidate for further preclinical and translational research,” Sahoo stated.

Mallick emphasized the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling complex healthcare issues, noting that the derivative exhibited considerable activity against oral cancer cells, particularly those associated with tongue cancer, even at minimal concentrations. “Our research indicates that the cotarnine derivative demonstrates substantial activity against oral cancer cells, especially tongue cancer cells, at very low doses,” Mallick explained. The next critical phase involves validating these results through additional preclinical studies, including animal testing, followed by clinical assessments. The researchers acknowledged that further preclinical investigations are essential to confirm the formulation's safety, efficacy, and therapeutic potential. This patent enhances NIT Rourkela’s research and intellectual property initiatives, showcasing the collaboration between chemistry and life sciences in exploring cancer treatment applications.