DRDO’s “2-DG” Anti-Covid Drug has been finally launched

Anuska Sen, Team BioXone

Abbreviations used in the following article:

2-DG: 2-deoxy-D-glucose

DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organization

INMAS: Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences

DCGI: Drugs Controller General of India

The 2-DG anti-covid drug jointly developed by DRDO’s INMAS laboratory and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has finally been launched yesterday (Monday, 17^th May, 2021). The release of the first batch of the drug was jointly done by India’s Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Defence minister, Rajnath Singh. Earlier on 9^th May 2021, DCGI approved the emergency usage of this drug, based on in its excellent performance in all three trial phases.

The drug 2-DG is chemically an analogue of a glucose molecule (the 2-OH group of glucose is replaced by H). The drug can be easily taken up by glucose transporters of cells which have a tendency of greater glucose uptake. 2-DG on entering the cells hampers the cell growth and further division (multiplication) of the cell. This drug has shown good results in treating tumor cells (which may be cancerous) as such cells are prone to higher glucose intake and hence also take up the drug (2-DG) at a higher rate. 

This is exactly the same mechanism by which the drug has been effective against coronavirus. It arrests the cell growth and as a result gradually reduces the viral load in the patient’s body. This reduces the severity of the disease and minimizes the oxygen supplement demand of the patient.

To know more about the preparation of the drug and its clinical trials, read our article: https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/2-dg-an-anti-covid-drug-approved-by-the-dcgi/

Five main benefits of the 2-DG drug:

1. 2-DG reduces the dependence on supplementary oxygen in a Covid patient. (as observed in phase three trials)
2. Easy consumption (The drug has been prepared in the form of a powder for oral usage and no intravenous administration is required).
3. Pricing will be affordable. (as assured by DRDO researcher Dr. Sudhir Chandna) 
4. Less dosage and usage period. (The drug needs to be consumed twice daily for a period of 5-7 days, by dissolving the powder in water).
5. The drug will be effective against any variant of the Coronavirus and thus the success of the drug will not be limited by any mutations that occur in the virus sooner or later.

Thus, it can be said that DRDO’s 2-DG drug is expected to be the game-changer in the Covid-19 pandemic. It gives us hope to see a vivid reduction in the death toll and number of positive cases in the country, and further in the world.

Also read: Covid Update

References:

1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/drdos-2dg-medicine-to-treat-covid-19-availability-dosage-price-101621160474807.html
2. https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/drdo-drug-2dg-covid19-treatment-launch-uodates-705103

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