Covid19: DRDO anti-Covid medication 2-DG approves by DCGI for emergency use
By Sanjay Maurya
News Headline
- DCGI authorized an anti-coronavirus drug for emergency treatment of serious patients on 8th
- It was created in cooperation with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
- The medicine comes as a sachet of powder that must be mixed with water and consumed orally.
DCGI allows an anti-Covid medication for emergency use
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) authorized an anti-coronavirus drug for emergency treatment of serious patients on 8th May. It was created in cooperation with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The medication comes in the form of a powder sachet that must be mixed with water and consumed orally. It accumulates in virus-infected cells, halting viral synthesis and energy production and thereby preventing virus growth.
When the first wave of the pandemic hit India, scientists at the DRDO’s INAMs laboratory performed experiments with the assistance of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and discovered that this molecule prevents viral growth and acts effectively against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Based on these findings, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved a Phase-II clinical trial of 2-DG in Covid-19 patients in May 2020.
Clinical trials to test the drug’s safety and effectiveness in Covid-19 patients were launched by DRDO and its industry partner Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.
“In Phase-II trials (including dose-ranging) conducted between May and October 2020, the anti-covid drug was found to be successful in Covid-19 patients, demonstrating significant improvement in their recovery.” A DRDO official said on 8th May that the Phase IIa clinical trial was conducted in six hospitals and the Phase IIb (dose-ranging) clinical trial was conducted in eleven hospitals around the world.
According to the official, if the phase III clinical trials are successful, the DCGI will allow them to begin in November 2020. It was carried out on 220 patients at 27 Covid-19 hospitals in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu between December 2020 and March 2021.
The medication comes in the shape of a powder sachet that is ingested orally by dissolving it in water. It builds up in virus-infected cells and inhibits virus development by preventing viral synthesis and energy output. This drug is distinct due to its preferential aggregation in virally infected cells.
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