A little known biosciences company near Kolhapur in Maharashtra is testing a new drug that could potentially become India’s first indigenously developed cure for Covid-19, at least for mild and moderately-infected patients.
In early tests, the drug is promising to turn infected patients RT-PCR negative in 72-90 hours, company officials told The Indian Express. The candidate drug is currently undergoing phase 1 human trials that are likely to be competed by the end of this month.
With a little help from vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII), iSera Biological, a four-year-old company that is engaged mainly in the production of antiserum products for snake bites, rabies, and diphtheria, has developed a potent cocktail of Covid-19 antibodies which, when administered to a mild or moderately ill patient, prevents the disease from spreading further in the body, and neutralises the existing virus.
“As of now, it does look like a promising drug. The principles on which it is based are well-established. We will have to wait for the results of human trials. If found effective, it will be a very suitable drug, especially for a country like India. I think this would be a very affordable drug, compared to a few similar international products that are available,” Prof N K Ganguly, a former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said.