New Delhi: At a time when countries across the globe are working to develop vaccines and antiviral agents for taking COVID-19 under control, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has decided to develop an approved immunomodulator "Sepsivac" to enhance innate immunity of the body to limit the spread of coronavirus.
"We are working on different medicine to get an antidote for COVID-19. We are doing trials on previous medicine as well as on new medicines. We are working on Sepsivac too," said Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS.
Officials in CSIR said that Sepsivac is expected to protect the close contacts of coronavirus patients and healthcare staff by boosting their innate response and thereby preventing them from acquiring the disease.
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"Sepsivac will also provides quicker recovery to the hospitalized COVID-19 patients who are not critically ill. It will also prevent the progression of disease wherein patients will need ICU management," officials said.
Sepsivac contains heat-killed Mycobacterium W (Mw). It is found to be extremely safe in patients and no systemic side effects are associated with its use. Officials said that the natural defence mechanism of the body (innate immunity) plays a key role in the fight against COVID-19 and other viral infections.
"It is first and efficient immune system response for identifying and eliminating COVID-19 and other viruses," an official said.
