Antibiotic Teicoplanin is 10-20 times more potent than HCQ in COVID-19 treatment
Teicoplanin – a decade-old antibiotic has revealed potential in treating COVID-19 and can be 10-20 times more potent than Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and various other drugs being used presently.
This drug comes under a class of antibiotics known as ‘glycopeptide’. It is used to kill bacteria by inhibiting them from developing the microbial protective wall that is required for their survival.
Teicoplanin is given in the form of injection and is primarily utilized to heal bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissues, bones, heart, blood, and lungs, including pneumonia.
Current research by IIT-Delhi has revealed that teicoplanin can be a possible restorative option against coronavirus.
According to the article released in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules by the institute’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences has discovered that teicoplanin is around 10-20 times more effective in hindering protease activity than other medications currently being used like hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, azithromycin, atazanavir, chloroquine, etc.
Many popular medications under clinical trials for COVID-19 such as HCQ, chloroquine, nitazoxanide, amoxicillin, oseltamivir, azithromycin, famciclovir, lopinavir, atazanavir, and aciclovir has been studied. However, the study showed that teicoplanin is more reliable than all the
other medicines.The study stated that Teicoplanin appeared as the best prevention amongst all medications they screened against 3CLPro of SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Additionally, the study stated that Teicoplanin is a potent inhibitor of the main protease. The scientists claimed they hypothesize its function as to halt the replication of the SARS-CoV-2.
Teicoplanin’s market in India
The market value of this drug is about Rs 106 crore, as per the information by AIOCD-AWACS. Almost 7.6 lakh units of the injection were sold by India in the past 1 year till August.
There are nearly 15 pharma firms in India producing Teicoplanin.
Sanofi has a major part of share with its brand name ‘Targocid’ in the Indian market followed by brand names manufactured by domestic drug manufacturers, like Glenmark, Cipla, Biocon, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Zydus Cadila, and Lupin.
As per the size and concentration (mostly 100-400 mg), the cost of the medicine differs from Rs 820 to Rs 2,200 each.
As the known adverse effects the medicine includes lesser responses on injection sites like pain, swelling, itching, skin rashes, and fever, it is commonly regarded as safe.
However, pharma majors additionally alert about the changes in parameters of liver and kidney function, in case of long term use, on the brochure provided along with the medication.
How does Teicoplanin work?
Teicoplanin was authorized by the DCGI in 1997. It is recommended for those who are sensitive or unresponsive to penicillin in the therapy of severe gram-positive and staphylococcal infection. Nevertheless, it is provided under numerous other diseases as well.
The medicine acts on gram-positive bacteria, known for developing a 40-80 layer thick cell wall and makes it easy for any external body such as coronavirus to get attached. This drug functions by inhibiting the process of development of the cell wall.
Author: Sruthi S
