Ural Federal University: A Graduate Received a Grant for an Invention

Evgeny Fedotikov, a graduate student at the Ural Federal University and a postgraduate student at the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has developed a special inhalation drug based on heather extract, E1.RU reported. The drug for the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases can be used in nebulizers and electronic vaporizers. The development was supported by the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, which allocated a half million grant.

“The therapeutic and preventive effects of the new phytopreparation are achieved through components of heather such as catechins, anthocyanins, quercetins and polysaccharides. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and antiviral properties”, Evgeny Fedotikov told E1.RU.

Heather extract is obtained by means of micropropagation technology. The required raw materials are grown in a laboratory “in vitro” with the specified standards of quality and composition. This is important because in many regions of Russia, including the Urals, heather is included in the Red Book.

“The developed phytopreparation can be used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes and for the treatment of nicotine addiction. Through the use of electronic vaporizers, we will get the effect of transforming an addiction into a healthy one. The basis of the phytopreparation allows us to introduce compounds from among new drug candidates, such as a synthetic peptide of the active center of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, ZP2, into the inhalation agent,” explains the scientist.

In 2019, Evgeny Fedotikov was the winner of the “Clever Man” competition. Now the young scientist is applying to Rospatent for registration of the development and is preparing to defend his PhD thesis. He plans to cooperate with pharmaceutical companies and release the inhaled phytopreparation on the market.