Chulabhorn Research Institute has long been investigating on bioactive compounds with potential medicinal applications from various sources such as marine organisms, microorganisms, and medicinal plants. Bioactive compounds from selected medicinal plants, namely Sesamum indicum, Andrographis paniculata, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, and Euphoria longana, have been focused and show promising therapeutic efficacy. These compounds potentially lead to development of modern drugs and nutraceutical products. Rapid analytical methods for extraction, identification, quantification of phytochemicals, and standardization of the plant extracts are developed. Study on therapeutic efficacy and safety is performed to ensure purity, safety and efficacy of these products. In addition, these standardized plant extracts may be used as value-added ingredients in various food products such as fruit drinks, cooked or canned foods, to enhance their nutritional values and promote good health.

Previous Next Biologics, or biopharmaceutical drugs, are promising treatments with low side effects for several diseases including cancer, immunological disorderand infectious disease. The high cost of biologics treatment causing the low drug accessibility and affordability. Each year Thailand imports approximately 500-1,000 million Baht of these products from many foreign sources. CRI’s Translational Research Unit (TRU) is focusing on translating fundamental scientific research to solve national and global health issues using multidisciplinary cutting-edge technology. Since the pandemic of bird flu in 2004 in Thailand, Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn realized that Thailand was in an urgent need of national health security for self-reliance on therapeutics. Biologics or biological products consist of variety classes of bioactive agents including vaccines, blood products, tissue therapy, cell therapy, gene therapy, and recombinant proteins. TRU main focus is currently on development of recombinant proteins and biologics with potential to be therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics, and research reagents. Current focus is primarily but not limited to monoclonal antibody, virus like particle, and recombinant peptide hormone. To ensure the seamless transition and preparation of product pipeline, CRI has integrated all necessary steps required for biologics drug development, which are lead screening, lead identification, lead optimization, characterization assay establishment, efficacy demonstration, process development, and proof of concept study. With the lighting speed of technology shift nowadays, CRI has been invested...