Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has released the first package of anti-Govit-19 anti-inflammatory drug ‘2-DG (2-Dioxy-D-Glucose)’.
It is the 1st indigenous drug developed by India to combat COVID-19.
*It was developed by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad, Telangana in association with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Laboratory of Atomic Medicine and Related Scientific Institute (INMAS). .
*In May 2021, the Drug Control General of India (DGCI) approved the use of 2-DG for emergency use (adjunctive therapy) of moderately severe COVID-19 patients.
*The first batch was handed over to Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Randeep Gularia, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS) and Lieutenant General Sunil Kant of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
2 DG (2-Dioxy-D-Glucose):
*It is an oral medication. The first batch of 10,000 doses of 2DG is expected to be launched by the end of May 2021.
*Clinical trials of the drug have shown that it accelerates the recovery process and reduces oxygen dependence by 40%.
*The drug inhibits the growth of the virus by stopping it from accumulating in the infected cells and stopping the synthesis and production of energy.
*The selective drug is unique in virus-infected cells.