Drugmaker Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has announced the commercial launch of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), an oral drug, found to help speed up recovery and reduce oxygen dependence.
The oral drug has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad.
The drug comes in a powder form in a sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water. The drug accumulates in the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral synthesis and energy production. The drug will stop the virus from multiplying.
The maximum retail price (MRP) of each sachet has been fixed at Rs. 990, with a subsidised rate offered to Government institutions. For now, the drug will available in hospitals across metros and Tier 1 cities, and subsequently expand coverage to the rest of India.
