DRDO To Transfer Technology Of Anti-COVID Drug '2-DG' To India Pharma Firms, Invites EoI

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has sought Expression of Interest (EoI) for transfer of technology for bulk manufacturing of the 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG), a drug developed by the DRDO for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The drug has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of the DRDO, in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad.

2-DG is a glucose analogue, which has the 2-hydroxyl group replaced by hydrogen. The molecule is transported in cells by the glucose transporters on the cell membrane but it cannot undergo further glycolysis and act as inhibitor of glycolysis. Therefore, cells with higher glucose uptake, for example tumor cells, virally infected cells, inflammatory cells have also a higher uptake of 2-DG.

Since, 2-DG accumulates selectively more in such cells with high glucose demand, it offers an attractive approach of inhibiting tumor cell growth, viral infection and inflammation.

A DRDO statement had earlier said that the clinical trials showed that the drug helps in faster recovery of hospitalized patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence. The patients treated with 2-DG showed faster symptomatic cure than Standard of Care (SoC) on various endpoints in the efficacy trends.

Higher proportion of patients treated with 2-DG showed RT-PCR negative conversion in Covid-19 patients.

The 2-DG has been cleared last month by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

As per the EoI document released by the DRDO, the applications should be submitted by the interested firms before 17 June via email.

The EoI submitted by industries will be scrutinised by a Technical Assessment Committee (TAC) and only up to 15 industries will be given ToT on their capabilities, technical handholding capability of DRDO and on “First Come First Served Basis”, according to the document.

The bidders should have a drug license to manufacture Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) from Drug Licensing Authorities and WHO GMP (Good manufacturing Practices) certification among others, it added.