NIT Rourkela researchers patent cotarnine derivative for oral cancer therapy

Researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Berhampur have developed a novel cotarnine-derived formulation for treating oral cancer. The innovation, which has been granted an Indian patent, utilizes a derivative of noscapine, an alkaloid found in the opium poppy plant.

The research team focused on the design, synthesis, and formulation of this new molecular entity to address the limitations of conventional oral cancer treatments. The cotarnine derivative has demonstrated significant anticancer activity against oral cancer cells, specifically tongue cancer cells, even at very low concentrations.

The project was an interdisciplinary collaboration involving medicinal chemistry and formulation science. The researchers stated that the next phase of development will involve preclinical investigations, including animal studies, to prepare the candidate for translational research and clinical evaluation.