| |OCTOBER 20249BFI JOIN HANDS WITH CSIR- CDRI TO ADVANCE BIOMEDICAL INNOVATIONTAKEDA SECURES JAPANESE APPROVAL TO MANUFACTURE FRUZAQLACSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), an esteemed research institute in the field of biomedicine, has revealed a partnership with Blockchain For Impact (BFI) to participate in the BFI-BIOME Virtual Network Programme. This partnership will support the advancement of biomedical research and innovation to facilitate developments in healthcare. The announcement was made during a ceremony at CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow where the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was swapped.CSIR-CDRI is committed to progressing drug discovery and development in order to meet India's medical needs and enhance public health. This is in line with the purpose of the BFI-BIOME Virtual Network Program, which seeks to promote and assist in biomedical research and innovation in India to create healthcare solutions for the Global South. Sandeep Nailwal, the pioneer behind BFI has expressed his excitement, "Partnering with CSIR-CDRI is certainly a step in the right direction for us. It reinforces our commitment to establish a robust healthcare ecosystem in India with home-grown, innovative solutions to the various heath afflictions faced by our masses." The BFI-BIOME Program is bringing together leading researchers and innovators to create a virtual network that can brainstorm and collaborate to identify and solve pressing healthcare challenges in India. Dr Gaurav Singh, CEO of BFI, conveyed his thoughts on the newly minted partnership, "With its well-established research facilities and a history of delivering affordable drugs and molecules to the market, partnering with CSIR-CDRI is crucial to advancing our objective of developing sustainable healthcare solutions". POTakeda has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to produce and sell Fruzaqla capsules 1mg/5mg (fruquintinib), an oral inhibitor of VEGFR-1, -2, and -3, for advanced or recurring colorectal cancer treatment that has failed chemotherapy and cannot be cured or removed.The endorsement is primarily supported by the findings of the FRESCO-2 study, an international phase 3 clinical trial carried out in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. The study evaluated the effectiveness of Fruzaqla combined with best supportive care (BSC) versus a placebo combined with BSC in patients who had already received treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The FRESCO-2 study achieved success in meeting all main and important secondary effectiveness measures and showed uniform advantages in individuals treated with Fruzaqla, regardless of their prior therapies.Dr. Takayuki Yoshino, deputy director of hospital, head, Division for the Promotion of Drug and Diagnostic Development, and chief, Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the National Cancer Center Hospital East, who served on the FRESCO-2 study Steering Committee, said, "Although the mortality rate of colorectal cancer has been going down in recent years due to early screening and advances in treatment, the 5-year survival rate for metastatic colorectal cancer remains low and new treatment options are much in need. The approval of Fruzaqla in Japan offers new hope for patients and families of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, as well as for healthcare personnel involved in colorectal cancer treatment. I feel that it is of great clinical significance". PO
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