• India has achieved a major scientific breakthrough by synthesizing Methandienone Long-Term Metabolite (LTM), a rare anti-doping reference material that will enhance global drug detection capabilities in sports.
• The innovation is the result of a collaboration between the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Guwahati and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), New Delhi, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
• With this milestone, India joins a select group of nations able to produce such critical testing materials, vital for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) network.
• Reference materials (RMs) are highly purified chemical substances or metabolites that enable precise and transparent detection of banned drugs in athletes. Globally, only four to five institutions produce these materials, making them rare and expensive.
• India’s domestic synthesis capability ensures greater accessibility while supporting international anti-doping efforts.
• The Methandienone LTM, designed to detect anabolic steroid misuse, was officially launched on September 4, 2025, by Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya during the 22nd Governing Body Meeting of NDTL in New Delhi.
• Its long-term detection ability allows identification of doping months or even years after consumption, strengthening fair play and clean competition in global sports.