India approves critical drug for radiological and nuclear emergencies using DRDO technology

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved a critical drug developed using DRDO technology for radiological and nuclear emergencies, the defence ministry announced on Tuesday. The drug, known as ‘prussian blue’ insoluble formulations, was created through the Technology Development Fund (TDF).
The TDF was established primarily to foster self-reliance by developing indigenous state-of-the-art systems for defence applications.
The defence ministry said in a statement that the drug was developed by industry using technology from the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) in Delhi.
The INMAS is a Defense Research and Development Organization laboratory (DRDO).

“The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted Scott-Edil Pharmacia Ltd, Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, and Skanttr Lifescience LLP, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, manufacturing and marketing licences for the commercial use of Prussian blue insoluble formulations developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme,” the ministry said.
The drug will be marketed as Pru-DecorpTM and PruDecorp-MG, according to the company.
“The formulations are used to decontaminate Cesium and Thallium as well as their Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). It is one of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) critical medicines for radiological and nuclear emergencies “According to the ministry.

DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat congratulated the teams involved in the drug’s development.
“He stated that the development of these drug formulations under the TDF project and the approval of DCGI is a successful endeavour of the DRDO for promoting the industry to achieve Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat,'” according to the ministry.