Granules India gets licence from DRDO to manufacture, market 2-DG Covid drug

Pharma company Granules India on Thursday said it has received licence from Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) to manufacture and market COVID-19 treatment drug, 2- Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG).

"Granules is working closely with DRDO team to launch the product in India at the earliest," the drug firm said in a regulatory filing.

The drug reduces a patient's average recovery time by two and half days and oxygen demand by up to 40 percent, the filing said.

Shares of Granules India closed at ₹344.20 per scrip on BSE, down 0.22 percent from the previous close.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe coronavirus patients in early May.

The first batch of this oral drug, developed by the DRDO was released on May 17 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and then Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

The Defence Ministry on May 8 had said that the clinical trials of 2-DG showed that it helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.

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