DCGI gives emergency approval to DRDO-developed 2-DG as adjunct therapy for COVID-19 patients

India saw a record 4,187 fatalities due to COVID-19 in a single day, taking the country's death toll to 2,38,270, according to the Union health ministry data updated today (Representative image)

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted permission for the emergency use of drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe OVID-19 cases, said Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on May 8.

The drug was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of DRDO, in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad, reported Hindustan Times.

According to the report, the results of the third phase of the clinical trial of the drug have shown that this molecule helps in the faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.

A higher proportion of patients treated with 2-DG showed RT-PCR negative conversion, said the report.

The 2-DG comes in powder form in sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water.

"On May 01, DCGI granted permission for emergency use of this drug as adjunct therapy in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients. Being a generic molecule and analogue of glucose, it can be easily produced and made available in plenty in the country," the defence ministry said in a statement.

"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," the ministry said.

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India saw a record 4,187 fatalities due to COVID-19 in a single day, taking the country's death toll to 2,38,270, while 4,01,078 new infections were reported in a day, pushing the tally to 2,18,92,676, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on the day. Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to 37,23,446, comprising 17.01 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has dropped to 81.90 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the drug seems to be of immense benefit to the people suffering from the infection.

(With PTI Inputs)

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