BENGALURU: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved a blood purification device produced by Biocon Ltd to be used to treat Covid-19 patients in intensive care with confirmed or imminent respiratory failure.
People who are critically-ill some times develop an immune response called a cytokine storm, in which the body produces excessive levels of cytokines — a type of protein which can lead to death. Cytokine storms are a complication of respiratory illnesses caused by coronaviruses, including Covid-19, and are seen in other illnesses as well.
Biocon’s device, CytoSorb, can mitigate the deadly response of a cytokine storm through blood purification. It is plug-and-play compatible with the most commonly-used blood purification machines or pumps in the ICU.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson, Biocon, said, “CytoSorb is an in-licensed unique device that reduces cytokine storms in critically-ill patients, and was introduced by Biocon in India in 2013. Since then, many patients undergoing organ transplant and sepsis treatment have benefitted from it.”