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DRDO’s Oral Drug 2-DG Released For Emergency Use

  • 19 May 2021

The first batch of the adjunct COVID therapy drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) — developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad — was released for emergency use on 17th May 2021.

  • On May 1, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted permission for emergency use of this drug as adjunct therapy in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients.
  • The anti-Covid-19 drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
  • The drug is available in powder form in a sachet, and can be taken orally after dissolving in water.
  • The drug accumulates in virus-infected cells, and prevents the growth of virus by stopping viral synthesis and energy production.
  • 2-DG being a generic molecule and an analogue of glucose, it can be easily produced and made available in large quantities.
  • The molecule helps in faster recovery of patients hospitalised with Covid-19, and reduces their dependence on supplemental oxygen.