The Hindu Business Line : IICT set to attract research projects from MNCs

THE Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) here is all set to stage a comeback into the big league of attracting collaborative contract research projects from major drug and agrochemical multinational corporations.

Its list of firm and prospective partners with whom agreements have been signed or were in an advanced stage include GlaxoSmithKline, DuPont, Procter & Gamble, the Swiss major Givaudan and Confluent Surgicals Inc, according to Dr J.S. Yadav, Director, IICT.

With GlaxoSmithKline, a $2,00,000 agreement had been inked recently to undertake projects in organic synthesis. Details were being worked out in the one-year initiative, Dr Yadav told Business Line.

Incidentally, the IICT and SmithKlineBeecham, UK, (now part of GlaxoSmithKline) have a long-standing research relationship, with the former having done three contract research projects over the years.

The other big contract project that had been firmed up is in the area of polymers with the US-based Confluent Surgicals Inc. The $40,000 one-year contractual agreement involved frontline work in the area of formulation and product development in polymer sciences, Dr Yadav said.

The IICT had witnessed a slowdown in its international contract research projects post 9/11. Before that, the premier chemical research lab under the Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR) had scaled a 35 per cent growth in dollar earnings to reach over Rs 3 crore from MNCs in 2000-01, which constituted 25 per cent of its external earnings.

The past few months have been very favourable with several foreign and Indian corporates discussing prospective projects, the IICT Director said. "We hope to finalise contracts with DuPont, Givaudan and Procter & Gamble within the next two months," he said.

In the case of DuPont, with whom IICT was working prior to 9/11, a $50,000-contract is likely to be signed. "Discussions are in an advanced stage and the areas include agrochemicals, especially discovery of new bio-active compounds," he said.

With consumer major Procter & Gamble the IICT is set to take up an interesting challenge in the area of hair colouring molecules. These developments and more agreements in the pipeline show an upswing in the contract research field for institute.

IICT, a constituent lab under CSIR, had equipped itself with the latest facilities to quickly undertake research in chemistry, agrochemicals, catalysis and has qualified research scientists who can deliver top-class work, Dr Yadav said.