BMC pins hope on two drugs for Covid-19 treatment

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is pinning hopes on two drugs – Itolizumab, used to treat skin condition psoriasis; and Tocilizumab, used in case of

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is pinning hopes on two drugs – Itolizumab, used to treat skin condition psoriasis; and Tocilizumab, used in case of rheumatoid arthritis – for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

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A 35-year-old critically ill Covid-19 patient, who was put on a clinical trial for Itolizumab at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital on Saturday, has shown improvement, said doctors. The BMC now plans to administer the drug to patients at BYL Nair Hospital from Friday.

Itolizumab is manufactured by a Bengaluru-based biotech company, Biocon, which has “repurposed” the drug for treatment of Covid-19 patients. The drug has been classified as a humanisedanti-CD6 monoclonal antibody, which means it is a molecule produced in a laboratory using living organisms. Once incubated into the body, it acts as an antibody, which can restore the immune system’s attack on foreign bodies.

According to doctors at KEM, the pneumonitis in the lower zone of the 35-year-old patient’s both the lungs has improved. Also, his dependency on external oxygen has reduced. “The patient was on ventilator support. We have not taken it off, but he is recovering properly. We can administer it to more patients, if they agree for the trial,” said Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM Hospital.

Dr Mohan Joshi, in-charge of Nair Hospital, said, “We have got permission to start the clinical trial for Itolizumab from Friday. Patients are selected for the trial depending on their health condition. It is not clear how many patients will be treated using the drug.”

The other drug, Tocilizumab, is produced by Roche and marketed by Cipla. It helps prevent extreme inflammation in gravely ill Covid-19 patients. Of the 19 critically ill patients who were given the drug, 16 have shown signs of clinical recovery in radiological analysis within 24 hours. Their oxygen saturation in blood has also improved. “We have noticed considerable improvement in the health of the critically ill patients within 24 hours,” said Dr Joshi.

“It will be tough to conclude the Itolizumab clinical trial a success depending on only one patient. Clinical trials need assessments of several patients which require time,” added Dr Deshmukh.