Laurus Labs gets DRDO licence to make anti-COVID drug 2DG

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had on May 1 accorded emergency approval for use of 2DG on COVID-19 patients.

Drugmaker Laurus Labs has received licence from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to manufacture and market 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2DG), an oral drug indicated as an adjunct therapy for hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Announcing this, the company said it has already applied for emergency use authorisation for the product with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had on May 1 accorded emergency approval for use of 2DG on COVID-19 patients. Laurus Labs is among a clutch of companies that have been issued licence to manufacture and market 2-DG, sources said. DRDO had last month invited expression of interest, from pharma companies, offering transfer of technology of the process for manufacturing 2-DG.