Nostrum licenses drug from Indian institute

USA-based Nostrum Pharmaceuticals has obtained a worldwide license to develop and commercialize Caerulomycin A in immunosuppression from  India's Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH). Terms of the  agreement were not disclosed.

Yatindra Prashar, chief executive of Nostrum subsidiary Symmetrix, said:  "this novel bioactivity of Caerulomycin has shown remarkable promise in  immunosuppression of both T-cells and B-cells in both in vitro  experiments and in rodent animal model studies. In addition, preliminary  studies carried out by IMTECH also show a lack of toxicity in the rodent  experiments. Based on these observations made by IMTECH's scientists,  Caerulomycin has the potential to develop into a blockbuster drug to be  used to prevent organ transplant rejection and diseases such as certain  autoimmune disorders where immunosuppression is the key to the  mitigation of the disease symptoms."