Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has decoded the manufacturing process for Relenza. It is said to involve a mere six step chemical reaction to produce the medicine from the raw material, sialic acid.
ITRI announced that it is the first institution in Taiwan to manufacture the drug and can provide an uninterrupted supply. Currently, the institute is trying to develop the drug, which is in a powder form, to a more practical alternative.
According to Lee Lien-tzu, Head of the Technical Group at ITRI’s Biomedical Engineering Center, ITRI has had the technolgy to manufacture sialic acid since a long time. However, the drug is protected by a patent and ITRI would need a license to manufacture.
Earlier, the institute had mastered the manufacturing process of Tamiflu as well. Bothy Tamiflu and Relenza need to be taken within 48 hours of infection.
|