ICMR hands over three homegrown medical technologies to Emcure, Biological E for commercial development

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has transferred the commercial rights for three indigenous medical technologies to Emcure Pharmaceuticals and Biological E under its Medical Innovations Patent Mitra programme.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has handed over the rights to develop and sell three homegrown medical technologies to Indian pharmaceutical companies Emcure Pharmaceuticals and Biological E. The move is aimed at turning publicly funded research into affordable treatments and vaccines that can reach patients.

The technologies were transferred under ICMR’s Medical Innovations Patent Mitra programme, which helps researchers protect their inventions and find industry partners to manufacture and commercialise them.

Emcure to develop cervical cancer drug candidate

One of the technologies, licensed to Emcure Pharmaceuticals, is SHetA2, a new drug candidate for treating Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)—a condition in which abnormal cells grow on the cervix and can develop into cervical cancer if left untreated.

Developed by scientists from ICMR’s National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) and the University of Oklahoma in the US, SHetA2 is designed to target and destroy cells damaged by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the main cause of cervical cancer, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. ICMR said the drug has the potential to provide a safer, less invasive and more affordable treatment option.

Dr Sandeep Nayak, Chairman of Oncology, MACS-Renova Oncology Institute, KIMS Hospital, said for decades, managing pre-invasive conditions like Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) or Stage 0 carcinoma has required surgical interventions such as LEEP, laser ablation, or cold knife conization. “While effective, these procedures can sometimes carry implications for future cervical competence and ability to retain pregnancy. SHetA2 introduces a paradigm shift from surgical destruction to non-invasive medical management,” he said.

He said by offering potential oral or localised treatment, this targeted therapy can clear precancerous cells while preserving healthy tissue and organ architecture—a critical advantage, particularly for young women desiring future fertility.

“Of course, rigorous clinical trials remain essential to validate its safety, dosing, and efficacy profiles before it enters routine clinical practice. Looking ahead, because high-risk HPV drives cancer through similar molecular pathways in other tissues, the underlying biology opens exciting future horizons for exploring targeted therapies in other HPV-associated conditions, such as penile or anal intraepithelial neoplasia, head and neck cancers,” he said.

Biological E gets rights to next-generation vaccine candidates

The other two technologies have been licensed to Biological E. Both are next-generation vaccine candidates developed by scientists at ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (NIRBI), Kolkata.

One vaccine is designed to protect against typhoid, while the second aims to provide broader protection against typhoid, paratyphoid and Shigella, a group of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhoea and other intestinal infections.

ICMR aims to commercialise publicly funded research

According to ICMR, these technologies could strengthen India’s efforts to prevent cervical cancer and tackle infectious diseases while reducing dependence on imported medical technologies.

“ICMR is committed to ensuring that publicly funded research is converted into products that improve people’s health. Through initiatives such as Medical Innovations Patent Mitra, we are helping researchers work with industry so that new discoveries can become medicines and vaccines that reach patients,” said Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, and Director General, ICMR.

The council said it has built a system that supports researchers from the early stages of scientific discovery to patenting, clinical testing, regulatory approvals and commercial production. It said the latest technology transfers show how partnerships between research institutions and the pharmaceutical industry can help develop affordable healthcare products in India.

Published on July 21, 2026