NEW DELHI, July 11: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has okayed the use of Itolizumab (rDNA origin), a monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients.
The indigenous drug, which was already approved for severe chronic plaque psoriasis, has now been repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with "restricted emergency use" based on clinical trials. Biocon has been manufacturing and marketing this drug for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis since 2013 under the brand name Alzumab.
The DCGI gave permission for the use of the Itolizumab drug after Biocon presented the Phase-II clinical trial results generated in COVID-19 patients. � IANS
