Kochi firm gets nod to test India's first novel molecule for Covid-19

PNB Vesper's drug developed from 12 years of research for small-cell lung cancer (for which it is under trial) has shown positive response in Covid-19, the firm claims

A new drug (or a novel chemical entity, or NCE) to treat Covid-19, developed by a Kochi-based firm, can hit the market in six months.

PNB Vesper, a research-based organisation, has got the nod from the country’s drug regulator to conduct phase 2b trials of its candidate code-named PNB-001. 

This would be India’s first NCE to treat Covid-19 if it gets marketing approval. Globally, drug majors like Merck are developing drugs for the Sars-CoV-2 virus and some of these global candidates have shown promise.

Drugs like remdesivir and favipiravir, along with steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs, are commonly used now