Hope DRDO's anti-COVID drug 2-DG will serve the world and not just India, says Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

File Photo (PIB)

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday (May 17, 2021) hoped that the DRDO's anti-COVID drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) will serve the world and not just India in the fight against coronavirus. 

Harsh Vardhan was speaking after the release of the first batch of 2-DG by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Vardhan stated that the recovery time from COVID-19 infection and oxygen dependency will be reduced by 2-DG. 

He said, "With the support of DRDO and in the leadership of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, this (anti-COVID drug 2DG) may be our first indigenous research-based outcome to fight against COVID-19. It will reduce recovery time and oxygen dependency."

"I hope that this drug will serve the world and not just India in the fight against COVID-19 in the coming days," he added. 

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Union Ministers Dr Harsh Vardhan & Sh @rajnathsingh Ji release first batch of 2-DG drug, an anti-#COVID19 therapeutic@PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA @DRDO_India https://t.co/9IDx91IW2m — DrHarshVardhanOffice (@DrHVoffice) May 17, 2021

The drug, notably, comes in powder form in a sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water. 

It accumulates in the virus infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral synthesis and energy production. Its selective accumulation in virally infected cells makes this drug unique.

The first batch of 2-deoxy-D-glucose has been released on a day when the Centre informed that the daily new COVID-19 cases in the country have been recorded less than 3 lakh after 26 days. According to the official data, there were 2,81,386 new infections, which took the country's total caseload to 2.49 crore. India now has 35,16,997 active COVID-19 cases.

In India, the weekly Positivity Rate has now dipped to 18.17% with more than 15.73 lakh tests done in the last 24 hours. 

(With agency inputs)