India Develops First Indigenous Antibiotic Nafithromycin: A Breakthrough for Respiratory Infection Treatment

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced on Saturday that India has developed its first indigenous antibiotic, Nafithromycin, which effectively combats resistant respiratory infections, offering particular benefits for cancer patients and those with poorly controlled diabetes.

This breakthrough antibiotic represents the first molecule completely conceptualized, developed, and clinically validated within India, marking a significant advancement toward pharmaceutical self-reliance.

Dr Singh revealed that India has already sequenced over 10,000 human genomes and plans to increase this number to one million. He also highlighted a recent gene therapy trial that achieved a 60-70% correction rate with zero bleeding episodes, establishing a notable milestone in India's medical research achievements.

The research findings have been published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrating India's emerging position as a leader in advanced biomedical innovation.

The minister emphasized that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) represents a major initiative in this direction, with a total allocation of Rs 50,000 crore over five years, with Rs 36,000 crore expected to come from non-governmental sources.

While inaugurating a three-day Medical Workshop on "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Multi-Omics Data Integration and Analysis," Dr Singh stressed the importance of India developing a self-sustainable ecosystem to drive scientific and research growth.

He noted that countries achieving global recognition in science and innovation have typically done so through self-sustaining, innovation-driven models with extensive private sector participation.

Dr Singh also announced India's major breakthrough in gene therapy, highlighting the first successful indigenous clinical trial for Hemophilia treatment. This trial received support from the government's Department of Biotechnology and was conducted at Christian Medical College Vellore, a non-governmental hospital.

The minister pointed out that artificial intelligence has become one of the most transformative tools of the modern era, reshaping healthcare accessibility, governance efficiency, and decision-making processes.

Dr Singh commended institutions like Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for pioneering interdisciplinary approaches by integrating artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and genomics to enhance healthcare outcomes.