New Delhi, Oct. 10 -- India plans to expedite the development and commercial manufacturing of an oral nanodrug aimed at treating high prevalence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, a severe form of jaundice affecting newborns, according to two government officials and an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) document reviewed by Mint.

Jaundice is extremely common in newborns, triggered by the buildup of a yellow pigment called bilirubin in the blood. While mild cases typically clear up on their own, acute jaundice allows this toxic substance to cross into an infant's brain, risking permanent neurological damage, hearing loss, severe physical disabilities, or even death. In India, severe jaundice causes 15-25% of neonatal hospital admissi...