2-DG Inhibits SARS-COV-2 Growth and Cyto-Pathic Effect Current Affairs

2-DG Inhibits SARS-COV-2 Growth and Cyto-Pathic Effect:

2 DEOXY-D-GLUCOSE

2-DG released

The first batch of the indigenously developed anti-Covid drug, 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose oral powder or ‘2-DG’ released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday (May 17).
Developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), New Delhi, a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in association with Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL)
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) cleared the formulation on May 1 for emergency use to be used together with the primary treatment in both moderate and severe Covid-19 patients

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Research

Clinical trials show that the molecule helps in faster recovery of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 and reduces their dependence on auxiliary oxygen
Patients improved symptomatically and become free from supplemental oxygen dependence by 42% on the 3rd day when compared to 31% using traditional SoC.
A 2.5 days difference in median time to achieve normalisation of specific vital sign parameters when compared to SoC.

Trial

Phase 2 trials conducted on 110 patients between May and October 2020
Phase 2A was conducted in six hospitals,
Phase 2B involved dose-ranging (clinical trial using different doses) was conducted in 11 hospitals across the country
Phase 3 clinical trials in November 2020
Final trials were carried out on 220 patients admitted to 27 Covid hospitals in various districts between December 2020 and March 2021

How it works

2-DG drug spreads through the body just like glucose. The virus needs glucose for energy. Replica of glucose/ glucose analogue forces the virus to think it is glucose.
It reaches the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral synthesis. Glycolysis, the breakdown of glucose to extract energy for cellular metabolism stops and so does energy production.
It gets inside the virus-cell and cuts off the glucose required for the virus to grow. The virus stops multiplying automatically. Helps in reducing the infection and the viral load gradually
Its selective accumulation in virally infected cells makes this drug unique

Usage

10000 doses expected to be released for trial
The anti-COVID drug 2-DG has been developed in powder form and is ingested orally by dissolving it in water
A patient may have to take this drug twice a day for about five to seven days.

Availability and price

2-DG being a generic molecule and an analogue of glucose, it can be easily produced and made available in large quantities
Supply to major hospitals to begin by mid-June
It will be low-cost and will be priced inexpensively

(2-DG Inhibits SARS-COV-2 Growth and Cyto-Pathic Effect)