Govt rolls out Drdo-formed Covid drug, experts call for more research

THE DRUG GOT THE DCGI NOD ON

MAY 8. THE REVIEW FOR PHASE II/III TRIALS HASN’T BEEN MADE PUBLIC

≠ Defence≠ m[n[ster Rajnat◢≠ S[n↘◢≠ on≠ Monday ̂aunc◢ed≠ an≠ ant[-cov[d≠ dru↘ devêoped≠ by≠ t◢e≠ Defence Researc◢≠ and≠ Devêopment Or↘an[sat[on≠ [n≠ cô̂aborat[on w[t◢≠ Hyderabad-based≠ Dr Reddy’s≠̂aborator[esp≠câ̂[n↘≠[t “a≠new≠ray≠of≠◢ope≠[n≠t◢ese≠c◢â̂en↘[n↘≠t[mes”p≠ât◢ou↘◢≠experts câ̂ed≠for≠more≠sc[ent[f[c≠data.

T◢e≠orâ≠dru↘≠2-dg≠(2-deoxyd-↘̂ucose)≠was≠approved≠by≠t◢e Dru↘s≠ Contrô̂er≠ Generâ≠ of Ind[a≠ (DCGI)≠ on≠ May≠ 8≠ as≠ an adjunct≠t◢erapy≠–≠one≠t◢at≠supp̂ements≠re↘ûar≠treatment≠–≠for Cov[d-19.≠drdo≠and≠[ts≠partner Drl≠carr[ed≠out≠a≠p◢ase≠ii≠tr[â w[t◢≠40≠vôunteers≠̂ast≠year≠and a≠p◢ase≠iii≠tr[â≠w[t◢≠220≠[n≠2021p accord[n↘≠to≠t◢e≠f[̂[n↘s≠on≠t◢e Ĉ[n[câ≠tr[âs≠re↘[stry≠-≠ind[a.≠

Assessments≠ from≠ ne[t◢er ◢ave≠been≠s◢ared≠yet≠and≠[t≠was not≠ĉear≠from≠w◢[c◢≠tr[âs≠t◢e Drdo≠off[c[âs≠were≠determ[n[n↘≠t◢e[r≠eff[cacy≠assessments.≠

“T◢e≠peer-rev[ewed≠researc◢ [s≠ expected≠ to≠ be≠ pub̂[s◢ed soonp”≠ a≠ sen[or≠ DRDO≠ off[c[â sa[dp≠ aş[n↘≠ not≠ to≠ be≠ named. T◢e≠re↘[str[es≠âso≠d[d≠not≠report [n≠w◢at≠proport[on≠vôunteers

NEW DELHI:

were≠ random[sed≠ to≠ be≠ ↘[ven 2-Dg≠or≠t◢e≠standard≠cov[d≠care.

Defence≠m[n[ster≠s[n↘◢p≠w◢o ◢anded≠over≠t◢e≠f[rst≠batc◢≠of t◢e≠ dru↘≠ to≠ ◢eât◢≠ m[n[ster Hars◢≠ Vard◢an≠ sa[d≠ t◢e≠ dru↘ woûd≠ reduce≠ oxy↘en≠ dependency≠and≠◢êp≠pat[ents≠recover soonerp≠ c[t[n↘≠ t◢e≠ unrêeased tr[â≠f[nd[n↘s.≠≠

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“T◢e≠ devêopment≠ and≠ product[on≠of≠t◢e≠dru↘≠[s≠a≠s◢[n[n↘ examp̂e≠of≠pub̂[c-pr[vate≠sector partners◢[p≠to≠◢êp≠t◢e≠nat[on≠[n t◢ese≠ c◢â̂en↘[n↘≠ t[mesp”≠ t◢e defence≠m[n[ster≠sa[d.≠≠

“In≠ eff[cacy≠ trendsp≠ t◢e pat[ents≠ treated≠ w[t◢≠ 2-DG s◢owed≠faster≠symptomat[c≠cure t◢an≠standard≠of≠care≠on≠var[ous≠ endpo[nts.≠ A≠ s[↘n[f[cant̂y favourab̂e≠trend≠(2.5≠days≠d[fference)≠was≠seen≠[n≠terms≠of≠t◢e med[an≠t[me≠to≠ac◢[ev[n↘≠normâ[sat[on≠of≠spec[f[c≠v[tâ≠s[↘ns parameters≠w◢en≠compared≠to Socp”≠t◢e≠defence≠m[n[stry≠sa[d [n≠statement≠on≠may≠8.≠

“It≠was≠an≠adapt[ve≠p◢ase≠ii/ Iii≠tr[â≠t◢at≠was≠conducted≠to determ[ne≠safety≠and≠eff[cacy≠[n Cov[d-19≠pat[ents.≠t◢e≠dru↘≠was or[↘[nâ̂y≠ meant≠ for≠ treat[n↘ cancer≠pat[ents≠and≠t◢en≠tr[ed≠[n Cov[d-19≠ pat[ents...≠ T◢e≠ tr[â resûts≠ were≠ prom[s[n↘≠ as≠ [t s◢owed≠reduct[on≠[n≠v[râ≠̂oad≠... and≠[t≠âso≠reduces≠stero[d≠and oxy↘en≠ requ[rementp”≠ sa[d≠ Dr A̧s◢ay≠bud◢rajap≠from≠t◢e≠resp[ratory≠med[c[ne≠department≠at Dê◢[’s≠aa̧as◢≠heât◢care≠super Spec[â[ty≠hosp[tâp≠w◢[c◢≠was one≠of≠t◢e≠tr[â≠̂ocat[ons.≠

Experts≠sa[d≠suc◢≠announcements≠ must≠ be≠ accompan[ed w[t◢≠ev[dence.≠“i≠am≠not≠comment[n↘≠ on≠ t◢e≠ eff[cacy≠ of≠ t◢e dru↘p≠â̂≠i≠aş≠for≠[s≠t◢e≠ev[dence. You≠cannot≠create≠fâse≠◢opes≠as you≠ woûd≠ stop≠ pat[ents≠ from ta̧[n↘≠ reâ≠ med[c[nes...p”≠ sa[d CM≠ Gû◢at[p≠ ed[torp≠ Mont◢̂y Index≠ of≠ Med[câ≠ Spec[â[t[esp p◢armaceut[câ≠reference≠↘u[de.