Intas gets DCGI nod for clinical trials of hyperimmune globulin for COVID-19 treatment

Intas Pharma has received permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), to conduct clinical trial of its COVID-19 specific hyperimmune globulin as treatment for patients suffering from moderate to severe COVID-19 infection.

”Hyperimmune globulin has potential for use as prophylaxis for all high-risk population in contact with COVID-19 patients. This could be an important therapeutic option that can potentially help combat the disease until a vaccine is available. Intas is among the world’s first to adopt this approach for treating COVID-19 patients. This will be a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative from Intas in collaboration with all Indian blood banks, that will help to procure convalescent plasma (plasma extracted from patients recovered from COVID-19 infection),” informed the company through a statement.

Dr Suma Ray, VP & Head of Plasma Operations at Intas, stated, “Hyperimmune globulin will provide purified and enriched preparation of COVID-19 specific neutralising antibodies in high concentration, free from blood transmitted viruses and other plasma proteins. Hyperimmune globulin will also enable consistent, precise dosing and predictable response early in the treatment of COVID-19 infections. Being a specific antibody treatment manufactured specially, it does not require blood group matching or donor selection while administering to the patient besides having huge benefits in terms of assured antibody administration. Unlike plasma therapy, Hyperimmune globulin can be readily administered to the patients anywhere even in the remotest part of the country.”

Intas is establishing an alliance with medical and research institutions, blood donation groups to collect the plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients. It also plans to launch a website to help recovered COVID-19 patients to locate the nearest blood bank where they can safely donate plasma.