Coronavirus: New nasal spray causes a 'rapid eradication' of Covid virus

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ena respiratory, nasal spray, coronavirus, covid-19

Sydney, Australia - A study on ferrets showed the nasal spray lowered the levels of the virus that causes Covid-19 by up to 96%.

By Reuters

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Published: Tue 29 Sep 2020, 8:42 PM

Australian biotech company Ena Respiratory said on Monday that a nasal spray it is developing to improve the human immune system to fight common cold and flu significantly reduced the growth of the coronavirus in a recent study on animals.
A study on ferrets showed the product dubbed INNA-051, which could be used complementary to vaccines, lowered the levels of the virus that causes Covid-19 by up to 96 per cent, the company said. The study was led by British government agency Public Health England.
Dr Christophe Demaison, Ena Respiratory managing director, said in a statement carried by the UK's Metro newspaper: "We've been amazed with just how effective our treatment has been. 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. 
"This is particularly relevant to vulnerable members of the community. In addition, the rapidity of this response means that the infected individuals are unlikely to pass it on, meaning a swift halt to community transmission."
Ena Respiratory said it would be ready to test INNA-051 in human trials in less than four months, subject to successful toxicity studies and regulatory approval.
The company has raised A$11.7 million (Dh43 million) for the development of the spray. Investors include venture capital firm Brandon Capital Ltd, the Australian federal government, pension funds and biotech giant CSL Ltd.
Several companies across the world are in the pursuit of developing a coronavirus vaccine. Australia has entered into agreements with some drug companies investing billions to secure potential vaccines for Covid-19, which has killed over 992,000 people worldwide.
Australia has so far reported 875 deaths and just over 27,000 coronavirus cases, far less than the numbers reported in other developed countries.


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