First Batch Of DRDO’s Anti-Covid “2-DG” Drug To Be Released By Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Today

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today (17 May) will release the first batch of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), reports India Today.

The Drugs Controller General of India had on 8 May approved the anti-COVID-19 drug for emergency use.

According to the report, hospitals will start receiving the supplies of the drug from Monday onwards and around 10,000 doses will be supplied to various hospitals in Delhi.

An anti-Covid-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by INMAS, a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad.

Clinical trial results have shown that this molecule helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.

A higher proportion of patients treated with 2-DG showed RT-PCR negative conversion in Covid patients. The drug will be of immense benefit to the people suffering from Covid-19.

Being a generic molecule and analogue of glucose, it can be easily produced and made available in plenty in the country.

The drug comes in powder form in a sachet, which is taken orally by dissolving it in water.

It accumulates in the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral synthesis and energy production. Its selective accumulation in virally infected cells makes this drug unique.

With IANS Inputs