BIRAC awards Wockhardt’s Chairman Dr Habil Khorakiwala for Nafithromycin innovation

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Government of India enterprise, has honoured Wockhardt’s Chairman, Dr Habil Khorakiwala, with the “BIRAC Innovator Award 2024”. Dr Mahesh Patel, Chief Scientific Officer of Drug Discovery Research at Wockhardt, accepted the award on behalf of Dr Khorakiwala during the “Global Bio – India 2024” event held in New Delhi.

The award recognises the significant innovation and research behind Nafithromycin (branded Miqnaf), the first multi-drug resistant pathogen-active respiratory antibiotic developed for the treatment of Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia. Miqnaf addresses a major unmet medical need, as current treatments such as Azithromycin and Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid have either faced resistance or do not cover the full range of respiratory pathogens involved in this condition.

The development of Miqnaf involved over 12 years of research, including multiple Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical studies conducted in the USA and Europe. The drug has completed Phase III clinical trials in India and is currently awaiting approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Miqnaf introduces a once-a-day, ultra-short, three-day oral treatment regimen, potentially reducing the need for hospitalisation for many patients.

Globally, Miqnaf represents the first new macrolide drug in 33 years designed for community respiratory infections, offering a convenient home-based oral therapy.