Open Source Drug Discovery
Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari is globally recognized for pioneering the Open-Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) initiative; an innovative, collaborative approach to find affordable drugs for neglected diseases. His vision broke away from traditional, profit-driven pharmaceutical models, creating a new paradigm rooted in transparency, global collaboration, and public good.
Background & Motivation:
• In many developing countries, neglected diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria cause enormous suffering, yet attract minimal investment for novel drug discovery, from big pharma companies due to low profitability.
2008 when he was DG, CSIR to address the above gap, using an open innovation model, inspired by open-source software development.
1. Creation of a Global Collaborative Platform:
• Established OSDD as a virtual platform (SysBorg 2.0), allowing scientists, students, and institutions worldwide to collaborate openly.
• Over 8,700 registered users from 130+ countries contributed data, ideas, and research projects.
• Over 8,700 registered users from 130+ countries contributed data, ideas, and research projects.
2. Affordable Drug Development:
• Focused primarily on TB drug discovery; More than 60 potential TB drug targets were identified under OSDD. An In Silico system biology model was developed for M.Tb to identify novel non-toxic drug targets.
Advanced several compounds to pre-clinical stages.
• Used open data repositories to avoid costly duplication and accelerate research.
Advanced several compounds to pre-clinical stages.
• Used open data repositories to avoid costly duplication and accelerate research.
3. Involved Students and Young Scientists
• Created programs like OSDDChem to train Indian students in drug synthesis, integrating education with real-world drug discovery.
• Empowered hundreds of young scientists by giving them access to global science.
• Empowered hundreds of young scientists by giving them access to global science.
4. Democratizing Science
• Promoted data and knowledge sharing without IP barriers. Computational resource crdd.osdd,net gets 4.5 million uses per month.
• Challenged the traditional pharmaceutical model by proposing that drug discovery could be both scientifically rigorous and socially driven.
• Challenged the traditional pharmaceutical model by proposing that drug discovery could be both scientifically rigorous and socially driven.
Impact & Legacy
• OSDD was the first large-scale open-source initiative in biomedical research- especially from the Global South. .
• It showed that open collaboration could significantly reduce the cost of drug development, making treatments accessible to those in need.
• Inspired similar models internationally specially during COVID19 pandemic and influenced global health policy discussions. OSDD as IPR model included in Indian IPR ACT 2016.
• It showed that open collaboration could significantly reduce the cost of drug development, making treatments accessible to those in need.
• Inspired similar models internationally specially during COVID19 pandemic and influenced global health policy discussions. OSDD as IPR model included in Indian IPR ACT 2016.
Recognition
• Named as one of Fierce Biotech’s Top 10 Biotech Techies.
• Science magazine called him an “open-source guru”.
• His work earned praise from global health organizations and open science advocates.
• Science magazine called him an “open-source guru”.
• His work earned praise from global health organizations and open science advocates.
Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari’s work on OSDD is a landmark contribution that combined scientific excellence, social commitment, and technological innovation; redefining how life-saving drugs can be discovered and made accessible to all.