The Rediscovered Drug

Chicago- based researcher has rediscovered a drug which was neglected decades ago. This drug was initially discovered for blood pressure and then it is rediscovered now as a resuscitative agent.

The drug, Centhaquin, was initially discovered in Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, in 1970 to lower the blood pressure in the hypertensive patients. As it lowered the BP for only few hours, it was dropped from the market in 1985.

Dr Anil Gulati states that “In 2009, while working with the university, I thought to do some experiments with the old drug. I discovered that whenever we were injecting the drug, there was one blood parameter that was always coming down, and that was blood lactate level. This led to the discovery.”

Dr Anil Gulati is the Dean Research, Mid-Western University, Downers Grove, USA. CDRI patented the drug in 1974, after 20 years the patent life gets over. Dr Gulati’s team modified the drug and re-manufactured it and found it useful as a resuscitative agent. The university has decided to patent the drug, and has filed for patents in various countries.

Meanwhile, the researcher has started a pharma company and proposed to the university to start trials in India.

“My whole intention is to develop the drug in India first, before it goes to any other country. All the toxicology studies have been completed and then phase 1 trial is going on in Pune. We expect that it will finish in March or April this year. After this, we will apply for phase 2 permission to the Drug Controller General of India,” said the doctor.