40 pharma companies have shown interest in anti-COVID drug 2-DG, says DRDO

CHENNAI: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday submitted to a bench of the Madras High Court that it had invited an Expression of Interest (EoI) to produce its 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a drug to treat COVID-19 patients, and 40 pharmaceutical companies have shown interest in manufacturing it.

The DRDO had given the licence to make this drug to only one pharma company, Dr Reddy's Laboratories. The petitioner D Saravanan, a resident of Chennai, had sought the court to direct the authorities to provide a licence to several medical companies that might bring the price down of the drug when many lives are being lost.

R Sankara Narayanan, Additional Solicitor General representing DRDO, submitted during Friday's hearing that the EoI for manufacturing of 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG) has been invited by uploading the offer on the web. As of July 17, 40 companies have expressed their interest to manufacture it and the applications are being processed, he added.

However, the bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and TV Thamilselvi asked the Additional Solicitor General to get instructions on the time limit required for processing the applications and issuing final orders concerning the transfer to the selected companies.

The bench also brought to the notice of the central government counsel the treatment provided by Dr Anandayya of Krishnapatnam in Nellore district.

"The efforts of Dr Anandayya, who prepares the medicine and offers it to a large number of people every day, free of cost, especially, when hospitals and doctors are minting money even out of this pandemic situation, need to be lauded and this court appreciates the yeoman service rendered by him," observed the bench.

The counsel in reply said that the medicine is currently under research by the ICMR.

The bench directed the central government to submit the final report to the bench prior to adjourning it for the final hearing next week.