Haryana man is the first Indian to take Covid drug cocktail

New Delhi - Drug was administered to former US President Donald Trump when he had tested positive last year.

By Web report

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Published: Wed 26 May 2021, 12:09 PM

An 84-year-old from Haryana became the first in India to be administered the Covid drug cocktail, made famous after it was given to former US President Donald Trump when he tested positive last year.

Mohabbat Singh, who was under treatment for the past five days, was given Regeneron, seen as a breakthrough treatment for some patients as it shortens the symptom duration and reduces viral load with its fast-acting antibodies.


“This drug is different from convalescent plasma and entirely different from repurposed drugs like Remdesivir or Tocilizumab,” Dr Naresh Trehan, director, Medanta, said in a media interview.

“Studies show that 80% of patients who took this drug did not need hospitalisation. It also reduced the death rate in addition to shortening the duration of symptoms.”


According to Dr Sushila Kataria, director, internal medicine, Medanta, the only condition imposed by the Indian government is that the drug should be given only to patients above 65 with comorbidities and who are immunocompromised. “Even those above 55 with cardiac problems can be given this drug,” added Kataria.

Indian pharmaceutical giant Cipla is marketing the drug in hospitals at an estimated price of Rs59,000 a dose. But just one dose is needed for the patients.

“The antibodies built in a patient would have done its job to contain the virus,” added Trehan.

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