Anti-COVID-19 2-DG drug developed by DRDO was first studied by Patanjali, claims Acharya Balkrishna

New Delhi: 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), the anti-COVID-19 drug that has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and been given an emergency use nod by Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI), was first studied by Patanjali researchers, claimed Acharya Balkrishna on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

A day after the DCGI granted permission for the Emergency Use of this drug as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients, Acharya Balkrishna said, "We take immense pride that Patanjali has been the pioneer centre-stone for most of the researches conducted for COVID-19." 

Balkrishna, MD of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd and co-founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, also shared a picture of his research paper, co-authored with three other researchers.

Yoga guru Swami Ramdev also expressed, "Proud of Patanjali being the first in every research on COVID-19."

This is to be noted that the therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of DRDO, in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL). 

Clinical trial results have shown that this molecule helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence and that the higher proportion of patients treated with 2-DG showed RT-PCR negative conversion in COVID-19 patients. 

"The drug will be of immense benefit to the people suffering from COVID-19," said the Ministry of Defence.

In April 2020, during the first wave of coronavirus, INMAS-DRDO scientists conducted laboratory experiments with the help of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad and found that this molecule works effectively against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and inhibits viral growth. Based on these results, DCGI CDSCO permitted a Phase-II clinical trial of 2-DG in COVID-19 patients in May 2020.

The DRDO, along with its industry partner DRL started clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of the drug in COVID-19 patients. In Phase-II trials (including dose-ranging) conducted from May to October 2020, the drug was found to be safe in COVID-19 patients and showed significant improvement in their recovery. Phase IIa was conducted in six hospitals and Phase IIb (dose-ranging) clinical trial was conducted at 11 hospitals all over the country. Phase-II trial was conducted on 110 patients.