Dr. Sendurai Mani, Associate Director for Translational Oncology at the Legorreta Cancer Center and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Brown University, began his journey toward finding a cure for cancer during his master’s studies. A pivotal conversation with his friend, Dr. Pradheep Kumar Challiyil, sparked a transformative idea—the potential of plant-based compounds in cancer therapy.

Intrigued, Dr. Mani turned to his grandmother, a practitioner of traditional plant-based healing. Her recommendation of a specific plant led to a discovery that would shape the future of cancer research. Together, Dr. Mani and Dr. Challiyil extracted and characterized a natural compound from the plant that demonstrated potent tumor-killing properties.

Recognizing the limitations of patenting naturally derived substances, Dr. Mani focused on developing a derivative compound with enhanced efficacy and commercial viability as an anti-cancer molecule.

To advance this groundbreaking research, Dr. Mani sought partnerships and found a visionary ally in Mr. Samir Somaiya, Chairman and Managing Director of Godavari Biorefineries, part of the Somaiya Group. Mr. Somaiya, a firm believer in research-driven innovation, saw an opportunity to contribute to drug discovery. This led to the creation of Sathgen Therapeutics in 2007—a dedicated division within Godavari Biorefineries, focused on cancer therapeutics.

Sathgen brought together a multidisciplinary team of chemists, cell biologists, computational modelers, and informatics experts. Through tireless effort, the team synthesized and tested over 10,000 derivatives, ultimately identifying a compound with exceptional anti-cancer activity and no observed toxicity.

Today, Sathgen Therapeutics is conducting Phase 1 clinical trials of this lead compound in cancer patients. With an unwavering commitment to collaboration, innovation, and patient well-being, Sathgen’s mission is clear: to bring this promising molecule to the forefront of cancer treatment and make a lasting impact on lives around the world.