The Drugs Controller General of India that approved oral drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) developed by the DRDO for emergency usage to treat the COVID-19 infection is likely to be available from the coming week, news agency ANI reported. The anti-COVID-19 medication can be used as an additional therapy in moderate to severe patients. In the first batch, 10,000 doses of this medicine will be launched.
Who is the manufacturer?
The drug has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a leading laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories in Hyderabad. On July 8, the Mankind Pharma was given the nod by DRDO to manufacture the drug.
How will 2-DG work?
The 2-DG drug had been shown to help ensure faster recovery of hospitalised patients as well as reducing supplemental oxygen dependence during clinical trials. The drug accumulates in infected cells, preventing virus growth by stopping viral synthesis and energy production. It is a repurposed drug as the 2-DG molecule is meant for treating tumour, cancer cells.
A virus that is multiplying fast in the body needs glucose for energy. The drug will stop the virus from multiplying.
Will this drug work on other variants of COVID-19?
According to Dr Anil Mishra, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, the way the drug functions is supposed to arrest any variant as a multiplying virus, irrespective of variant, will need food and thus will get trapped by the drug.
How will it treat covid patients with oxygen level dropping?
As per Dr Anil Mishra, after consuming the drug the oxygen demand increases as the virus is multiplying fast in the body. Once that process is stopped, the oxygen crisis will also be addressed.
Pricing
INMAS scientist Dr Sudhir Chandna has said that the pricing will be determined by Dr Reddy's laboratories, which is manufacturing the doses. Dr Mishra said the pricing will be done keeping the pockets of the buyers in mind.
How to take it?
Dr Sudhir Chandna has said like glucose powder, this drug can be taken with water, twice a day. A Covid-19 patient may have to take this drug for five to seven days to get completely cured.
