DUBLIN: A new invention of Indian medical research centre with hope for countries including India, which is struggling with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved a drug developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for use in COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms.
The new drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) under DRDO in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad. The drug is licensed for emergency use with restrictions after clinical trials have shown that it is beneficial in patients with moderate or severe symptoms.
The drug, which comes in small packets in powder form, should be taken orally by dissolving it in water. This drug reaches the virus infected cells and inhibits the growth of the virus. This drug is to be given along with the treatment currently given to the COVID-19 patients.
According to an official statement from the DRDO, clinical trial results show that this molecule helps in the quicker recovery of hospitalised patients and decreases the need for supplemental oxygen. The test also found that patients who treated with 2DG tested negative for RT-PCR test within few days
Clinical trials of the drug began in April 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19. This drug has been shown to improve the health of COVID-19 patients while also effectively preventing viral growth. The drug was found to be safe in COVID-19 patients in Phase-II trials performed from May to October 2020.
Since the first two trials were deemed successful, the DCGI granted permission for Phase-III clinical trials to be conducted on 220 patients at 27 COVID-19 hospitals between December 2020 and March 2021.
As it is a generic molecule and analogue of glucose, the drug can be easily produced and widely distributed in the country. India will then be able to export the drug to various parts of the world.
The 2DG drug is expected to be more useful for poorer countries that have yet to receive sufficient vaccine doses. The drug’s price has not yet been disclosed, but given that it is an Indian-made medication that can be easily manufactured, it is unlikely to be expensive. It will be distributed to Indian hospitals in the coming weeks.
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