
Lucknow: CSIR-CDRI Is celebrating its 75th year of its establishment. The CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, hosted an engaging session under ita ongoing innovation in Healthcare lecture series. The event featured a distinguised talk by Prof. Arvind K. Bansal, renowned pharmaceutical scientist from NIPER- Mohali, on theme”Tackling Solubility Challenges During Drug Discovery and Development.”
In a detailed and thought-provoking lecture, Prof. Bansal emphasized the pivotal role of solubility in pharmaceutical research, stating, “If we address the solubility challenges in the early stage of drug discovery and development, then we can prevent major failure and distress.” He highlighted how solubility affects each stage of the drug development pipeline — from lead optimization to regulatory approval — and advocated for early selection of scalable enhancement technologies and use of approved excipients to streamline development and approval processes.

The event was presided over by Dr. Radha Rangarajan, Director of CSIR-CDRI, who in her welcome address reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to cutting-edge scientific research with translational impact. Dr. Prabodh K. Trivedi, Director of CSIR-CIMAP, graced the event as the Chief Guest, and commended the relevance of the lecture in addressing current pharmaceutical challenges.
The session attracted participation from across the scientific community, including students and faculty from NIPER-Raebareli, Lucknow University, and Rameshwaram Institute of Technology and Management, alongside CSIR-CDRI scientists and research scholars. Dr. Jiaur R. Gayen introduced Prof. Bansal, applauding his extensive contributions to formulation science and biopharmaceutics.
Prof. Bansal also outlined practical approaches for optimizing solubility during various drug development phases — from selecting modifiable compounds during lead optimization, to ensuring continuity in formulation in preclinical trials, and using robust, scalable platforms in later clinical phases.
He stressed that tackling solubility early not only improves the chances of clinical success but also accelerates regulatory approvals, particularly when employing Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS)-based strategies.
The event concluded with a felicitation of Prof. Bansal by Dr. Rangarajan for his scientific leadership, followed by a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Prem Prakash Yadav, who expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, participants, and organizers.