Biocon Head Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Tests Positive For COVID-19

The Executive Chairperson of pharmaceutical firm Biocon, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, has tested positive for  COVID-19. Shaw revealed in a tweet on Monday night that she had developed "mild symptoms" of the disease. She tweeted, "I have added to the Covid count by testing positive. Mild symptoms and I hope it stays that way."

Following her tweet, many people wished her a speedy recovery on social media.

While WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan wrote, "Get well soon", Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "So sorry to hear this, Kiran Shaw. We need you hale & hearty soon! Be well, my friend."

What You Should Know:

• Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tested positive for COVID-19.
• She is the executive chairperson of pharmaceutical company Biocon.
• Mazumdar Shaw revealed that she was COVID-19 positive in a tweet on Monday night.
• She also added that her symptoms were mild, hoping that "it stays that way."

Itolizumab by Biocon

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw's Bengaluru-based biopharmaceutical company Biocon has been working on repurposing a psoriasis drug called Itolizumab as a potential drug to treat coronavirus. The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) gave its approval to Itolizumab last month.

However, Itolizumab got into a controversy after it was alleged that it gained approval despite the fact that its clinical trial was conducted only on 30 people. Thus, the National Task Force on COVID-19 decided against including Itolizumab drug in clinical management protocols for treating the disease despite DGCA approval, reported India Today.

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In July this year, Shaw had received the IMC Ladies’ Wing Woman of the Year Award. She was ranked as ranked as one of the world’s top 20 inspirational leaders in the field of biopharmaceuticals in The Medicine Maker Power List 2020.

On winning the award, the Biotechnology industry veteran said, “I’d like to dedicate this award to all the women in India who are contributing to the task of nation-building through their efforts, no matter how big or small. Thank you so much for this very prestigious award which I accept with all humility.”

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At the Precursor to 35th FLO Annual Session: Women Shaping the Future at FICCI auditorium in New Delhi in 2019, Shaw spoke about her journey as an entrepreneur saying, "My journey started 40 years ago because of gender bias. I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I started my company out of a garage. I knew it was going to be a challenge but I had the determination to succeed. I was young, had no experience and no collateral. I faced problems in recruitment because people were not ready for women. I had a huge credibility challenge everywhere."

India has reported around 27 lakh cases with over 51,ooo deaths so far.

Sanskriti Tiwari is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.