National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development

National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Abbreviation	NIPRD
Founded	1987 (1987)
Headquarters	Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
Coordinates	9°02′51″N7°20′29″E / 9.0475°N 7.3415°E / 9.0475; 7.3415
Official language	English
Director General	Obi Peter Adigwe
Parent organization	Federal Ministry of Health
Website	https://www.niprd.gov.ng

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) is a Nigerian institution charged with developing drugs, biological products, and pharmaceutical raw materials, conducting quality-assurance tests, research for locally manufactured medicines, and constituting guidelines for their production. ^{[1] [2]} Founded in 1987, it was a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. In 2001, it was moved to Federal Ministry of Health. ^{[3] [1]}

History

• In August 2018, NIPRD got ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, for meeting international standards for testing medicines, food, cosmetics, agricultural products, and herbal products. ^[4]
• In July 2019, under the leadership of Dr. Obi Peter Adigwe, NIPRD announced that they had developed six traditional herbal products for the treatment and management of Ebola, malaria, sickle cell anaemia and other diseases. ^[5]
• In August 2021, African Export-Import Bank awarded $400,000 grants to NIPRD to boost local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. ^[6]
• In April 2022, the NIPRD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to improve the industry value chain for traditional medicine in Nigeria and Africa. ^[7]
• In August 2022, the NIPRD constituted a Disease Detection and Prevention Consortium along with University of Sheffield, Usman Danfodiyo University and the West African Health Organization. ^[8]

Major drug developments

Niprisan

The NIPRD produces Niprisan for the management of sickle cell disorders. It is commercialized as Niclovix. ^[9] Niprisan is a phytochemical formulated from parts of four different indigenous plants ( Piper guineense seeds, Pterocarpusosun stem, Eugenia caryophyllus fruit and Sorghum bicolor leaves). In June 2018, May & Baker signed a production agreement with NIPRD for the commercialization of Niprisan in Nigeria. ^[10]

In July 2022, The Director-General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Peter Adigwe, announced that more than 40 countries buy Niprisan from Nigeria. ^{[11] [12]}

Niprimune

In March 2020, under the directive of the Federal Government, the NIPRD started developing models to identify herbal medicines to combat COVID-19. ^[13] By early 2021, NIPRD had discovered Niprimune, a locally made phytomedicine as an adjunct for the management of COVID-19 ^[14] and was approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). ^[15] The Institute had decried lack of funding to advance its production and further research. ^{[16] [17]}

Controversies

• In 2015, Premium Times reported that the then Director General, Prof Karniyus Gamaniel, was violating civil service rules by refusing to advertise available vacancies but instead sharing slots and conducting shabby interviews leading to job racketeering in the institution. ^[18] In a follow-up report, Gamaniel said the vacancies were not advertised because the candidates were selected from an existing database of applicants from previous job adverts. ^[19]
• In April 2016, the then Director General, Prof Karniyus Gamaniel, was reported to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission for allegedly embezzling $514,000.36 out of a $744,000.38 World Bank grant given to develop anti-diabetic phytomedicine, also knows as STEP-B Project, and another N33 million meant for the payment of the salaries of NIPRD's staff in 2014. Gamaniel denied the allegations. ^[20]

See also

• Obi Peter Adigwe

References

1. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/niprd-phytomedicine-verification-protocolll-improve-medicines-security-adigwe/
2. David (2 August 2022). "Made-in-Nigeria medicines will diversify economy – DG NIPRD". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
3. "NIPRD gets international accreditation for drug development". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
4. [e-mail] (17 August 2018). "Nigeria's National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development Attains International Accreditation". www.usp-pqm.org. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
5. "Nigerian Institute Develops Drugs Ebola Malaria". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
6. "Afreximbank Awards US$400,000 Grant to Nigeria's NIPRD to boost local Production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients". African Export-Import Bank. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
7. Akor, Ojoma (11 April 2022). "NIPRD signs MoU with S/African varsity on traditional medicine". Daily Trust. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
8. "Africa: Taking action to curb menace of transboundary diseases | The Nation Newspaper". The Nation Newspaper. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
9. Akor, Ojoma (8 March 2022). "' How NIPRISAN is improving access to sickle cell treatment in Nigeria'". Daily Trust. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
10. "Nigerian scientists patented a sickle cell drug using a herbal remedy—then it all fell apart". Quartz. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
11. Racheal, Abujah (6 July 2022). "Sickle Cell Anaemia: Over 40 Nations Opt For Nigeria's Local Medicine – NIPRD Boss". Science Nigeria. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
12. ADANIKIN, Olugbenga (26 August 2021). "Over 40 countries are demanding Nigeria's sickle cell drug - NIPRD DG". The ICIR- Latest News, Politics, Governance, Elections, Investigation, Factcheck, Covid-19. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
13. "FG Directs Pharmaceutical Research Institute to Identify Herbal Medicines Active against COVID-19 – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
14. "Andrographis tops natural cures for COVID-19". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
15. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/covid-19-nafdac-approves-use-of-niprimune-as-immune-drug-says-niprd/
16. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/covid-19-lack-of-sponsorship-hampering-niprds-efforts-in-vaccine-production-adigwe/
17. "Crippled by poor funding, Nigerian drug research institute in darkness for nine months". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
18. "Recruitment Scam: How Nigeria pharmaceutical institute employs through the back door". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
19. "Why I don't advertise before recruitment – Nigeria Pharmaceutical Institute boss". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
20. "Tension in Nigeria pharmaceutical institute over alleged diversion of World Bank grant, staff salaries". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 16 February 2023.