DRDO's 2DG Drug: Here is all you need to know about the anti covid-19 drug

While covid cases are being registered in the country at a record level, the people are in concern and the vaccination process is going at low pace. In this context, the Drug Control Board of India (DCGI) is issuing permits for emergency use of various drugs to provide relief to coronavirus patients. Recently, DCGI gave the green signal to the use of the 2-DG (deoxy-glucose) drug developed by DRDO. Defense sources said the drug was approved for use in corona treatment.

DCGI said it may be useful for patients who has mild to moderate corona symptoms. It said it will be available in powder form and should be taken in combination with water. "In addition to the infected cells, it prevents the virus from spreading rapidly in the body," DRDO said. It was jointly developed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, DRDO 's Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS).

The DRDO said there were promising results in clinical trials. Among those hospitalized for covid treatment, those who took the 2-GD drug recovered quickly, reducing the need for oxygen, the Department of Defense said.

As part of the fight against the epidemic, the DCGI said it was ready to develop a drug that could be used to treat covid as per the Prime Minister's call. In April last year, INMAS-DRDO scientists conducted experiments with the help of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

Clinical trials have shown that it is effective against SARS-COV-2 virus. Based on these results, DCGI and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization approved the second phase of clinical trials in May 2020. Clinical trials continued from May to October, and covid victims who took the drug recovered quickly. The experiments were performed on 110 people in 17 hospitals across the country. Those who took this drug were found to have recovered two and a half days earlier compared to the usual treatment.

The third phase of clinical trials was approved in November. From December to mid-March this year, 2-DG drugs were given to 220 patients in 27 hospitals in Delhi, UP, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The clinical trials submitted the complete data to DCGI on May 1 and sought permission for emergency use. The DCGI, which reviewed the results, approved.

Here are few things you need to know about the drug.

Is it necessary to take the vaccine if 2G drug is used.

The vaccine helps keep the disease at bay, which is used to reduce the onset of the disease. It has nothing to do with the vaccine. However, it is best to get all the vaccines carefully before getting infected. This drug can be used even if covid comes after vaccination.

Will it reduce need for oxygen, and does it require hospitalization?

If you use this drug you will have a faster recovery and patients doesn't require oxygen and if the person is under oxygen, the drug helps to recover faster.

Do this drug work for other variants?

The drug is not concerned with the virus as it acts on the coronavirus infected body cells. Once 2DG enters the cells it freezes completely. This will stop the virus from growing there. That is, it works without any strain.

How the drug is manufactured?

The DRDO said that the 2DG drug is produced in India and can be available as it is a generic molecule and analogue of glucose.

How it is consumed?

The 2-DG covid drug as been developed in the form of powder and can be taken orally with water