Inception Story

As the first step of initiation of the Unit of Research and Development of Natural Products (URDNP) of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine in 2017, It has developed with the aim of to build strategic alliance of academics, relevant government authority, the pharmaceutical industry firms and other interest groups to participate in research and development dialogue and evolve strategic development process for research development and commercialization of natural products. The anticipated strategic alliance for the Unit can be based on public- private partnership (PPP) mode for conducting research and development (R & D) of relevant natural products and their commercialization. After identifying the specific areas of cooperation and integration in the anticipated R&D efforts and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) can be affected between currently the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine (FIM) and interested private sector firms.  It is the view of the FIM that all basic research and clinical product development efforts are concentrated at the newly established unit while the commercialization aspects, promotion, marketing of the product develop to be done jointly by the Unit and the private sector partner/s under an agreement together with funding formula according to the University of Colombo rules and regulations. All products developed at the unit will have a brand name with FIM, University of Colombo following the regulations of the University of Colombo business link (UBL).

The Unit was founded by Prof. Pathirage Kamal Perera (was the founder coordinator of the URDNP) and Prof S.D. Hapuarachchi (Former Director of IIM), they continue in their capacity to date. The URDNP serves as the research and clinical trial center for Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Sri Lanka setting standards for Ayurveda products in the Country.