Everything You Should Know About DRDO’s Anti-Covid Drug – 2DG

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India’s battle with the second wave of the corona is proved to be a difficult one. Lack of medical facilities, medicines, and a high number of patients, and all other issues have rose the death toll in the second wave of the corona. But now India has its new weapon to fight against corona, and it’s DRDO’s anti covid drug, 2DG. 

The name of the drug developed by DRDO is 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). In different clinical trials, it has been approved that the drug effectively reduces the dependency of an infected person on oxygen. It’s also found that the recovery is faster after taking the dose of DRDO anti-covid drug. At present, when the cases of coronavirus infected people are still coming, it’s a must to know about this new medicine.

What is 2DG?

2DG is an Indian medicine that helps COVID-19 patients for a speedy recovery from the virus infection. The medicine also controls the need for oxygen in the patients. It’s a “Made in India’ product that has clear all the clinical trials before its launch. the medicine is approved by all the authorities and suitable for COVID patients with mild and moderate symptoms.

the name of the drug is 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). It is a joint venture of the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab, with the collaboration of well-known Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad. The medicine has got permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in the first month of May ’21. The drug has permission for emergency use only as an adjunct therapy.

It is an antibiotic drug that can be consumed orally by patients under medical supervision. The patients can take it after the doctors’ suggestions. The drug will be available to the patients only if they have a medical prescription to get it. No one should consume 2DG without any medical advice.

How does DRDO’s Anti Covid Drug Works?

Many companies are developing different medicines that can fight against coronavirus, and we can get back to our lives before the pandemic. the methods of all the medicines can be different, but they all share the same aim. According to the government release, newly launched 2DG accumulates the virus infected cells. It stops the energy production for virus and viral synthesis to prevent the growth of the virus. The press release for the medicine says that the selective accumulation in the infected cells makes the drug different and unique. The DRDO chairperson Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, said in an official statement that the drug would work against the various strains of the Covid virus.

How were the trials of the drug conducted?

In a pandemic, the world is in a hurry to get some medicine to help the infected people fast recover. This is because so many medicines and vaccines are available in the market now. People are panic, and they want to be sure if the drug is safe to consume. As per the regulation, any drug or vaccine has to go through under the trials, and DRDO’s 2DG is no exception.

INMAS-DRDO scientists conduct all the required experiments to calculate the effects and side effects of the drug. The experiments are conducted with the help of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. The experiments found that the molecule is working effectively against Covid, and it controls its growth. Based on these results, the DGCI’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization permitted the phase -II trials.

In the second phase of the trial, 110 patients participated. The trial was conducted between May and October 2020. In this phase, it was found that the drug is effective and safe on the Covid patient. The patients who had 2DG showed the faster recovery and cured of the infection in lesser time than the patients in the standard care group.

After phase II, the authorities conducted the trials of phase III. The trials of phase III were conducted between December 2020 and March 2021. This phase showed more promising results. It was conducted on 220 covid infected patients at 27 hospitals across the country. The patients on the 2DG meditation improve symptomatically, and their supplemented oxygen requirement has gone down. The same improvements were observed in the patients from the critical age group (65+ years old).

Is the DRDO’s Anti-Covid Drug Available in the Market?

The corona cases are coming down, but more than two lakh cases are being reported from the country’s different states. So considering the effectiveness of this new medicine, people must want to buy this one. But 2DG is not available in the open market yet.

According to the government’s official press release, the medicine is a generic molecule and analogue of glucose, so its easy to produce it in-house. The medicine comes in powder form and placed in a sachet, so its easy for the patients to consume it. Patients can dissolve it in water and drink it.

The commercial launch of the drug is expected in mid-June ’21. In an official statement, Dr. Reddy Said, “Please beware of agents selling spurious or illegal products in the name of 2DG and also regarding the unverfied messages relating to 2DG circulating on social media and on WhatsApp”.

If you talk about the price, then its not decided yet. But, according to Dr. Reddy, the price of the sachet will be easy to afford by the people.

Where will the drug fit in?

In the second wave, the country experienced the all-time high demand for oxygen. In this wavy, the virus affected the lungs, and many patients need oxygen. The increased demand and the less supply of oxygen result in a high number of dead people with corona.

As 2DG reduces the supplemented requirement of oxygen, so it is expected that the demand for life-saving gas will come down. When the recovery is fast, the beds available will become easier in the hospital. Many patients that are getting treatment at home will not rush to the hospital to get supplemented oxygen.

Now the cases of black fungus is increasing, and many people who were on supplemented oxygen supply have a risk of getting infected with the fungus. So 2DG will reduce the risk of this new disease as well.

The Last Word

DRDO’s Anti Covid medicine, 2DG, is a ray of hope for the country’s people. Now the coronavirus has reached the villages of the country where medical facilities are in bad shape; the 2DG medicine can save many lives.   

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