A higher proportion of patients treated with the drug tested negative for Covid in RT-PCR tests.
As India struggles against a divesting wave of covid virus infections, authorities cleared a medicine developed by Defence Research Development Organisation’s Institute of Nuclear Medicine & allied Sciences (INMAS), and pharma major Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories. The anti-covid application of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been found to help in faster recovery of hospitalized patients, and reduce supplemental oxygen dependence, as per clinical trails.
DCGI has granted approval for emergency use of this drug developed by DRDO to treat covid-19. The drug comes in powder form in a sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water. A higher proportion of patients treated with the drug tested negative for Covid in RT-PCR tests.
From Twitter: https://twitter.com/DRDO_India/status/1390961209776623618
“An anti-COVID-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by INMAS, a lab of DRDO, in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad. The drug will help in faster recovery of Covid-19 patients. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1717007“
What is 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)?
The DRDO took the initiative of developing anti-covid therapeutic application of 2-DG.
In April 2021, DRDO scientists and Hyderabad-based Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) found that this molecule works effectively against Covid. Based on their work,the CDSCP permitted Phase-2 clinical trails of 2-DG in covid-19 patients in May 2020.
The reports says that in Phase-2 trails between May and October 2020, the drug was found to be safe in Covid-19 patients. The treatment also showed significant improvement in the speed of patients’ recovery. The phase-2 trail was conducted on 110 patients.
Phase-2a was conducted in 6 hospitals and the Phase-2b (dose ranging) clinical trail was conducted at 11 hospitals across the country. Reportedly, in efficacy trends, the patients treated with 2-DG showed faster symptomatic cure than Standard of Care (SoC) on various parameters. Based on these results the DCGI permitted phase-3 clinical trails in November 2020, which was conducted on 220 patients between December 2020 and March 2021.
The phase-3 clinical trails conducted across 27 covid hospitals across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As per the data from this, a higher proportion of patients improved symptomatically and were free from supplemental oxygen dependence. Similar trends were observed in patients aged over 65 years as well.
How it works and how to use?
“The mechanism of action of this drug is very unique. And as per the basic principle of this drug, it will be very effective on different variants of SARS-CoV2- Virus. With the help of our industry partner Dr. Reddy’s Lab, we are trying to bring this drug into the market at the earliest. ” Dr. Anant Narayan Bhatt (Scientist, INMAS, DRDO) said.
This medicine, 2-DG comes in powder form in a sachet, and taken orally by dissolving it in water. It accumulates in virus-infected cells, prevents virus growth. This virus growth stopped by halting viral synthesis and energy production. Selective accumulation in virally infected cells makes the drug unique. Currently, Dr. Reddy’s is producing the drug in India.
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