It is a nasal spray treatment, under development by scientists at the University of Helsinki (Finland). According to the researchers, it has shown in laboratory tests with rodents the ability to block coronavirus infection for up to eight hours, although it has not yet been tested in humans and laboratory studies have not yet been peer-reviewed.
The spray works by blocking the virus from replicating in the nose and appears to work well against all variants , unlike popular monoclonal antibody treatments that are less effective against Omicron. This has been shown by tests with mice that, after receiving treatment, did not show symptoms and the coronavirus did not spread through their body. They did not carry viral antigens.
A complement to vaccination
It is not a substitute for vaccines nor is it intended to be, but it could offer additional protection for those who need an extra boost in their immune system, whether they are patients undergoing cancer treatment, transplant recipients, or those with HIV .
The new drug builds on previous research showing that tissue inside the nose is a prime location for the coronavirus to replicate. After multiplying in the nose, the virus usually progresses through the respiratory tract to the lungs, where it causes much more severe symptoms. Hence, sending anti-Covid antibodies directly to the nose can prevent the virus from replicating at the earliest possible stage of the disease.
The nasal spray should be effective against Omicron and other new variants, because it is based on a part of the virus that has not changed during the mutation.
Reference: Preprint:
Anna R. Mäkelä, Hasan Uğurlu, Liina Hannula, Petja Salminen, Ravi Kant, Riku Fagerlund, Anu Haveri, Tomas Strandin, Lauri Kareinen, Jussi Hepojoki, Lev Levanov, Arja Pasternack, Rauno A. Naves, Olli Ritvos, Pamela Österlund, Tarja Sironen, Olli Vapalahti, Anja Kipar, Juha T. Huiskonen, Ilona Rissanen, Kalle Saksela
DOI: 10.21203 / rs.3.rs-1196079 / v1
