Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday released guidelines on how and when to use its anti-Covid medicine 2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) medicine. The drug was launched last month by the Ministry of Defence. It has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a leading laboratory of the DRDO, in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) in Hyderabad.
The DRDO said that 2-DG medicine should be used under the supervision of a doctor. The oral drug for emergency use is an adjunct therapy to treat severe Covid patients. It reduces dependence on supplemental oxygen.
Guidelines To Use 2-DG
- 2DG should be prescribed early on by the doctors. This drug can be prescribed for up to 10 days and the recipients can be both moderate to severe COVID patients.
- This drug is approved for ‘Emergency Use’, and can be used as an adjunct therapy alongside the standard procedure followed in the treatment of a Covid patient.
- 2DG has not yet been tested on patients with uncontrolled diabetes, severe cardiac problems, ARDS, severe hepatic and renal impairment. Hence, extra caution needs to be maintained.
- Lactating and pregnant women should not be prescribed with 2DG, and the same applies to people below the age of 18.
- Patients/Attendants looking to procure 2DG medicine should email their requirement to 2DG@drreddys.com. The email ID is of Dr. Reddy’s Lab, Hyderabad.
The drug was cleared by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 1 for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe Covid-19 patients. The first batch of the indigenously developed anti-Covid-19 drug was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on May 17.
The price of DRDO’s 2DG anti-COVID 19 drug has been fixed at Rs 990 per sachet by pharma major Dr Reddy’s Laboratories. However, the drug will be provided by government hospitals at a discounted price. According to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, the drug will be commercially launched in mid-June.
