Sun Pharma partners with NIV to test phytopharma drugs for Zika, chikungunya & dengue

New Delhi: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune recently signed an agreement for testing phytopharmaceutical, biologic and chemical entities developed by Sun Pharma against Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses. Sun Pharma will provide drug molecules to NIV for testing against Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses.

The phytopharmaceuticals are being developed for treating individuals infected with Zika virus and possibly for curing Zika disease.These phytopharmaceutical candidates have been isolated from plants found in India. In the case of chikungunya, Sun Pharma has identified certain chemical entities in house which would be tested at NIV. The drug molecules will be tested against all the three viruses through laboratory studies (in vitro) and the promising candidates will be tested on animals.

Zika, chickungunya and dengue viruses are transmitted to humans by infected Aedes mosquitoes.

Sun Pharma and ICMR had earlier entered into the memorandum of understanding for conducting joint scientific research and innovation for testing of drugs, biosimilars and vaccines and disease control and elimination programs.

 A few vaccines against Zika are at various stages of clinical testing across the world, including India. There are currently no drugs to treat or cure these viral infections and patients are given symptomatic treatment.