`2DG': Hyd-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories launch anti-Covid 19 drug; price Rs 990

Hyderabad: Dr Reddy's Laboratories announces commercial launch of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), an anti-Covid19 drug on Monday Hyderabad based pharmaceutical company said that they will supply the drug to major government as well as private hospitals across India. In the initial weeks, the company will make the drug available in hospitals across metros and Tier 1 cities, and subsequently expand coverage to the rest of India.

2-DG manufactured by Dr Reddy's has a purity of 99.5 per cent and is being sold commercially under the brand name 2DG. The maximum retail price of each sachet has been fixed at Rs 990 with a subsidized rate offered to government institutions.

2-DG was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab that is part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad.

The drug is a result of laboratory experiments launched in April 2020 that found this molecule was effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and inhibited viral growth. 2-DG comes in powder form in a sachet and is to be taken orally after dissolving it in water.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), which is the national drug regulator, approved its emergency use on May 1, the Ministry of Defence said earlier this month. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan released the first batch of the drug on May 17.

The clearance received by 2-DG allows its use in moderate to severe cases. It is to be used as an adjunct therapy, which means it can supplement the primary line of treatment for such patients. The latest clinical management guideline for Covid-19 released by the health ministry does not mention the 2-DG drug, which is yet to hit the markets.

"We are pleased to have worked closely with our long-term industry partner Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad, for testing 2-DG as therapeutic application in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. DRDO has been contributing to the fight against COVID-19 with its spin-off technologies,' said Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman, DRDO.