Covid nasal spray trial: Are you eligible?

Clinical trials of a nasal spray that could prevent Covid-19 have started in Australia and the company is looking for people to take part.

Exclusive: Clinical trials of a nasal spray that could prevent Covid-19 and the common cold have started in Sydney and the Australian company is looking for people to take part.

With Covid sweeping the city and vaccines in short supply the lead researcher said its one way Sydneysiders can help fight the pandemic.

Associate Professor Nathan Bartlett from Hunter Medical Research Institute is developing a nasal spray that stops the virus that causes COVID19 and will also prevent the common cold and influenza. It begins human trials at the end of 2020. Picture: David Swift

The team also wants to trial it in healthy people aged 65-85 years old.

Those taking part in the trial will use the spray every three days for two weeks in ascending doses.

Participants will have to have a physical examination, blood tests and a nasal examination.

Researchers want to assess the ability of the drug product to stimulate the local innate immunity through the presence of selected biomarkers and immune gene activation.

“Vaccines have been slowing the spread of COVID-19 in a number of countries, but the world remains at risk with the emergence of variants with increased transmissibility, such as the Delta variant, first discovered in India,” co-founder and CEO of ENA Respiratory Dr Christophe Demaison said.

“Being agnostic to specific virus or viral variants is one of the potential key strengths of INNA-051”.

Patients spray the product into their nose before, or shortly after, exposure to a virus, prompting the body to protect them from illness and reduce the chance of community spread

The spray reduced Covid-19 replication by up to 96 per cent in a peer-reviewed study in ferrets performed by Public Health England last year.

The initial human clinical trial underway now will test whether the spray is safe for use in humans.

“Sydneysiders need no reminder of the continued threat COVID-19 poses to our way of life and participating in this clinical study is a way to contribute to the global fight against the pandemic,” Dr Charlotte Lemech, Principal Investigator on the ENA Respiratory study and Medical Director at Scientia Clinical Research in Sydney, said.

“Despite the challenges of the current lockdown in Sydney, we have put in place additional safety procedures and our trial is continuing.

“We have dosed a number of cohorts so far and they are tolerating the therapy well,” she said.

The nasal spray doesn’t target a specific virus but instead primes the immune system to fight off any type of virus.

Viral Immunologist at Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Associate Professor Nathan Bartlett, has proven closely related compounds could reduce and prevent all the major respiratory viruses including influenza, rhinovirus (which causes the common cold), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and coronavirus.

The innate immune responses targeted by the nasal spray are triggered within 48 hours after a person has been exposed to the virus so it works much faster than a vaccine.

Vaccines rely on adaptive immunity that leads to the production of neutralising antibodies and it take about two weeks to establish these after you have a jab.

ENA Respiratory recently secured $32 million funding from Brandon Capital Partners and leading philanthropic organisation, Minderoo Foundation, with co-investment from Australian university venture fund, Uniseed, to support the clinical development of INNA-051.

It is hoping to have the product on the market by next year.

Healthy people aged 18 to 55 years old who are interested in taking part in the study can call the Scientia team on 1800 727 874 or register their interest on the Scientia website.

Here is the link to the study – http://www.scientiaclinicalresearch.com.au/intranasal-inna-051/

Originally published as Covid nasal spray trial: Are you eligible?