A research team from the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, at the International Medical University (IMU), headed by Dr Venkata Srikanth Meka recently secured an industrial contract research agreement with InQPharm Sdn Bhd, Malaysia. InQpharm is a global life sciences-based company that develops natural healthcare products by combining science, nature and technology. With a ten year presence in Malaysia, InQpharm engages in discovery, development, validation and commercialisation of unique, natural compounds. 
The research team of IMU comprises Dr Srikanth, Dr Nagashekhara Molugulu, Dr Rakesh Kumar Tekade and Mr Sivaram Nallamolu. They will carry out Research & Development work to formulate enteric-coated tablets of various herbal compounds. The formulation will enable safe delivery of herbal compounds while protecting it from harsh, acidic environment of the stomach. InQpharm approached the School of Pharmacy at IMU to explore potential collaboration in medicines design and development and consultancy, tapping into the expertise of our researchers, in pharmaceutical technology and advanced drug delivery. The relationship was cemented by a series of presentations and meetings led by Prof Mallikarjuna Rao, Dr Srikanth, Dr Naga and academic staff members of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and InQpharm personnel. 
Talks led successfully to an agreement by InQpharm to finance two research projects. The first involved tableting trials to develop oral dosage forms specifically for natural medicines; the second focussed on compatibility studies and enteric coating of tablets to shield drug from degradation and consequent loss of activity in the acidic stomach environment. 
Dr Srikanth will coordinate the IMU-InQpharm venture, with support from his team and other staff members of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology. He will also provide the lead in scientific and technical matters, drawing on a wealth of personal experience in academia and industry in controlled release technologies and novel dosage forms. Apart from showcasing IMU’s considerable expertise in pharmaceutical technology, the collaboration is expected to provide a number of opportunities for student experiential learning and Pharma industry-related project work in connection with the School’s postgraduate programmes (MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and MSc in Molecular Medicine).
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