Go Ad-Free
    My Alerts
    Moneycontrol
    Moneycontrol PRO
    HomeNewsBusinessCompaniesCommercial launch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG will be in June, price is being determined, says Dr Reddy's

    Commercial launch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG will be in June, price is being determined, says Dr Reddy's

    "We expect commercial launch of the drug in June, and expect to supply it to hospitals," the spokesperson of Dr Reddy's said.

    Viswanath Pilla
    May 17, 2021 / 21:25 IST
       
       
      26 Aug, 2025 12:21
      Volume
      Todays L/H
      More

      Patients may have to wait for a few more weeks to access the anti-COVID drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), as Dr Reddy's, the manufacturer and distributor of the drug said the commercial launch of anti-COVID drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), will happen in June.

      "We expect commercial launch of the drug in June, and expect to supply it to hospitals," the spokesperson of Dr Reddy's said.

      The company said it is in the process of pricing the drug.

      "The price is being determined with a view to making it accessible and affordable to as many patients as possible," the spokesperson said.

      "We will share an update on the price soon," she added.

      COVID-19 Vaccine

      Frequently Asked Questions

      View more
      How does a vaccine work?

      A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

      How many types of vaccines are there?

      There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

      What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

      Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

      View more
      Show

      Related stories

      Dr Reddy's is currently scaling up the manufacturing of the drug. The company didn't specify the production volumes.

      On Monday Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan jointly launched the new COVID drug 2-DG at DRDO Bhawan in Delhi.

      The anti-COVID-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with Dr Reddy’s Hyderabad.

      The first batch of the 2-DG sachets were handed over to Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr Randeep Guleria and Lt Gen Sunil Kant of Armed Forces Medical Services(AFMS). The government said more will be handed over to different hospitals across the country for emergency use.

      The drug 2-DG, which comes in powdered form in a sachet, needs to be taken twice a day orally by dissolving in water.

      The drug is used as an adjunct therapy where it administered along with primary treatment.

      The clinical trials showed that the drug helps in relatively faster recovery of those who have been hospitalised and also reduces need for supplemental oxygen compared to those who are on standard of care.

      Viswanath Pilla
      Viswanath Pilla is a business journalist with 14 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, Pilla covers pharma, healthcare and infrastructure sectors for Moneycontrol.
      first published: May 17, 2021 09:21 pm

      Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

      Subscribe to Tech Newsletters

      • On Saturdays

        Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.

      • Daily-Weekdays

        Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.

      Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347