Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tests positive for Covid

Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has tested positive for Covid-19.

“I have added to the Covid count by testing positive. Mild symptoms n I hope it stays that way,” the 67-year-old tweeted.

Biocon is one of the few companies in the process of making drugs to fight Covid. In July, the company received a boost when the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved a repurposed injection, Itolizumab,  for “restricted emergency use” for Covid cases.

Itolizumab was originally launched way back in 2013 for treating chronic plaque psoriasis. Permission was granted to treat patients with moderate to severe symptoms of Covid-19, in particular those who developed cytokine storm – an immune reaction that can be fatal.

However, the National Task Force on Covid-19 later decided against including itolizumab into the clinical management protocols as there was not enough evidence to prove that the drug was beneficial in treating patients.