The safety trail of mycobacterial w (Mw) drug has been completed but its actual trial will be conducted on 40 patients in PGI Chandigarh and AIIMS-Delhi and Bhopal, said Dr Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER, Chandigarh on Sunday.
Mycobacterium w, originally developed as an immunomodulator for leprosy, acts through the toll-like receptor pathway and enhances host-T cell responses.
"The safety trial of 'Mw vaccine' drug has been completed. But its actual trial will be conducted on 40 patients in PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS-Delhi and AIIMS Bhopal," he said.
A study is being conducted by PGIMER-Chandigarh, AIIMS-Delhi, and AIIMS-Bhopal to analyse the use of Mw -- heat-killed mycobacterium indicus pri -- as an adjunct to the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients.In a recently concluded multi-centre trial, the PGIMER found that Mw reduces mortality in ICU patients with severe sepsis and it can potentially decrease the cytokine storm seen in patients with COVID-19, and may thus be of potential benefit in managing these patients and decreasing mortality.
( With inputs from ANI )