CAPE TOWN - With the race to find the Coronavirus vaccine approaching the finishing line r
esearchers are also looking for other ways to tackle Covid-19. An Australian biotech company Ena Respiratory has developed a nasal spray that has been able to treat Coronavirus infections and even prevent Covid-19 in labs.
A trial on humans is set to begin in less than four months, pending toxicity studies and regulatory approval.
In a statement on Monday, Dr Christophe Demaison said that they have been amazed at just how effective the treatment has been.
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“By boosting the natural immune response of the ferrets with our treatment, we’ve seen a rapid eradication of the virus. If humans respond in a similar way, the benefits of treatment are two-fold. Individuals exposed to the virus would most likely rapidly eliminate it, with the treatment ensuring that the disease does not progress beyond mild symptoms,” said Demaison.
In a study that has yet to be peer-reviewed
, the team behind the research, which includes scientists at Public Health England, revealed how they administered INNA-051 into the noses of three groups of six ferrets, in various doses, while the fourth group of six ferrets was given a placebo. Ferrets are an important animal model for Covid-19.
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Ena Respiratory is not the only Australian company looking to nasal sprays as a potential treatment for coronavirus. Starpharma released data showing that in a laboratory, the spray inactivated the virus and showed signs it provided an effect whether used before or after exposure to the virus.
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