×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Anti-Covid-19 drug: Mysuru-based firm makes a breakthrough

Last Updated 17 May 2021, 08:42 IST

A Mysuru-based company, which was involved in research, to develop a drug for Covid-19, since the pandemic started last year, has achieved a breakthrough.

Dr B H Manjunath, managing director, DRM Innovations, said that four drugs against human anti-SARS-CoV-2 have been discovered and are under the trials.

“The SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) virus pandemic, over the last one year, has affected many countries, with complete lockdown, loss of jobs, economic downturn, overburdened health systems and huge number of deaths. SARS-CoV-2 viral multiplication, within the cell, depends on RdRp, a key enzyme that is involved in the RNA synthesis, the core material in the virus. For the first time, DRM Innovations, has developed the new drugs to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus, using artificial intelligence,” he said.

Dr Manjunath said, “National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, a leading Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) affiliate, conducted studies and confirmed that the new drugs had good inhibitory effects in killing the virus in cell-based systems. Additional studies provided preliminary information that the drugs had no toxicity in the cell-based systems and on animals. Further, animal studies in JSS Pharmacy College, Mysuru, observed that the drug can be given orally. Advanced software-based analysis identifies these drugs to be virocidal and has drug and dosage characteristics, similar to Remdesivir,” he said.

He said, “The key advantages in the new drugs are that they can be given orally and has the potential to cross the blood brain barrier, since many Covid patients suffer from neurological problems and Remdesivir does not cross the blood brain barrier."

"DRM Innovations is looking for funding from the Union government, drug manufacturers and philanthropists to take this innovation into clinical use for the benefit of the nation and mankind. Once an effective oral drug is available, Covid will join the ranks of H1N1 influenza (swine flu), which caused disruptions in 2011. But, now, H1N1 is an easily treatable disease,” he added.

Dr Manjunath said that his team of researchers include, Dr Basappa, chairman, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Studies in Organic Chemistry, University of Mysore; Dr P A Mahesh, professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, JSS Medical College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research; Dr Priya Abraham, Dr Pragya Jadhav and Dr Anitha Shete, National Institute of Virology, Pune; Dr Pramod Kumar principal, JSS Pharmacy College; and Saravanan Babu, JSS Pharmacy Research head.

Dr Manjunath said that the drugs have been tested in the laboratory at Johnson and Johnson, Belgium, also, and was found to be effective against SARS Covid 2 virus. “The drugs would be effective even if the Covid virus undergoes mutations as the mutations occurs mostly in the membrane protein, while the drugs target the RdRp directly,” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 13 May 2021, 16:32 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT