Two Sri Lankan scientists win Silver Award

Two Sri Lankan scientists Manoj Hettiarachchi and Nalin Kannangara of Emergen Life Sciences were recently honoured with a silver award at the 44th International Exhibition of Inventions held in Geneva for their innovation of process of manufacturing of Budenoside + Foremtrol dry powder inhalation medicines. The two scientists, who are alumni of Sri Lankan universities have also honoured with a Sri Lankan Presidential Award in February 2016 for this unique innovation.

The significance of this breakthrough is that unlike the imported medications that are costly, the patent process innovated by the Sri Lankan scientists provide low- cost, easy accessible medications for asthma and its more aggressive form, (Chronic Obstructive, Pulmonary disease) also known as COPD. This means that low cost and effective medication is freely available to Sri Lankan consumers, as an alternative to the imported varieties that have been the only solution for asthma and COPD suffers in the past.

Manoj Hettiarachchi and Nalin Kannangara headed a team consisting of young scientists from Sri Lankan universities, in a state-of-the-art high tech manufacturing complex equipped with a range of pharmaceutical testing and production equipment.

"We are proud that this is a truly Sri Lankan achievement", they said.

Manoj Hettiarachchi, Chairman Emergen Life Science said, "We identified a noticeable trend in the increase of Asthma COPD and also understood that the country depended on costly imported medications for treatment. Our researchers were able to identify respiratory care medication as a fundamental area of research and were focus on improving the currently available pharmaceutical formulations."

Asthma is one of the diseases that 20 percent of the adult population is affected by environmental changes such as pollution which is the main cause for the increase in asthma in the aging population.