Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd announced the commercial launch of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG).

Dr Reddy’s will supply to major government as well as private hospitals across India. In the initial weeks, the company will make the drug available in hospitals across metros and Tier 1 cities, and subsequently expand coverage to the rest of India.

2-DG manufactured by Dr Reddy’s has a purity of 99.5% and is being sold commercially under the brand name 2DG. The maximum retail price (MRP) of each sachet has been fixed at Rs. 990, with a subsidized rate offered to government institutions.

2-DG was developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s. 2-DG is an oral drug. It can be administered only upon prescription and under the supervision of a qualified physician to hospitalised moderate to severe Covid-19 patients as an adjunct therapy to the existing standard of care. Emergency use approval for anti-Covid-19 therapeutic application of the drug was granted on May 1, 2021.

Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, secretary Department of Defence (R&D) and chairman, DRDO said: “We are pleased to have worked closely with our long-term industry partner Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad, for testing 2-DG as therapeutic application in treatment of Covid-19 patients. DRDO has been contributing in fight against Covid-19 pandemic with its spin off technologies."

Satish Reddy, chairman, D Reddy’s said: “2-DG is yet another addition to our Covid-19 portfolio that already covers the full spectrum of mild to moderate and severe conditions and includes a vaccine. We are extremely pleased to have partnered with DRDO in our collective fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.”