Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to release first batch of DRDO anti-Covid drug on Monday


The first batch of A 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug was developed Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to treat Covid-19 will be released by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday. He is accompanied by Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan.

The hospitals will be supplied with the drug from Monday. Initially, almost 10,000 doses will be delivered to various hospitals in Delhi.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had on May 8 approved the emergency drug in moderate to severe cases of Covid-19.

Via 2-DG

The anti-Covid therapeutic use of the drug 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG) was developed by the Institute for Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a DRDO laboratory, in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), in Hyderabad.

Results of clinical studies show that the drug enables faster recovery of Covid-19 patients in the hospital and reduces their additional oxygen dependence. Covid patients treated with 2-DG showed a higher proportion of RT-PCR negative conversion.

Patients treated with 2-DG also showed faster recovery from symptoms. A 2.5 day difference was observed in the mean time it took to normalize specific vital signs between those who were administered the drug and those who were not.

The drug comes in the form of powder in a sachet. It must be dissolved in water and taken orally. The drug accumulates in the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping virus synthesis and energy production. Its selective accumulation in virally infected cells makes it a unique drug.

Clinical trials

In April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, INMAS-DRDO scientists carried out laboratory experiments with the help of the Center for Cell and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad and found that this molecule was effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and inhibited virus growth .

Based on these results, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) of the DCGI allowed clinical phase II studies with 2-DG in Covid 19 patients in May 2020.

ALSO READ: Scientists are skeptical of the Chinese company’s Covid-19 claims that the company’s stock holdings are rising

In the Phase II studies that ran through October last year, the drug was found to be safe for Covid-19 patients and resulted in a significant improvement in their condition. Phase II-A was conducted in six hospitals and Phase II-B clinical trials were conducted in eleven hospitals across India. The phase II study was carried out on a total of 110 patients.

Based on successful results, DCGI allowed the Phase III clinical trials to continue in November 2020. The phase III clinical trial was conducted between December 2020 and March 2021 on 220 patients in 27 Covid hospitals in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Detailed data from the phase III clinical study were presented to the DCGI.

ALSO READ: Delhi government panel of experts on the distribution of tocilizumab to hospitals with Covid patients




Post a Comment

और नया पुराने