TheCable

Nitric oxide nasal spray (NONS), a self-administered treatment made by Vancouver-based biotech firm SaNOtize, has been found to drastically reduce COVID-19 viral load in infected patients.

SaNOtize, alongside Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services in the UK, said the results of phase two trials indicated that the nasal spray represents a safe and powerful antiviral treatment that could prevent the transmission of COVID-19, shorten its duration, and reduce the severity of symptoms in those already infected.

The treatment is said to kill the virus in the upper airways, preventing it from incubating and making its way to the lungs.

According to SaNOtize, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase two trial that evaluated 79 confirmed cases of COVID-19 — significantly reduced the level of SARS-CoV-2, including in patients with high viral loads.

Patients treated with SaNOtize’s spray were said to have witnessed an average viral log reduction of 1.362 in the first 24 hours, which corresponds with a decline of around 95 percent, and within 72 hours the viral load declined by more than 99 percent.

A majority of the patients were infected with the UK variant, which is considered a variant of concern.

No adverse health events were recorded in the UK trial and in the 7,000 self-administered treatment given in the Canadian clinical trials.

Stephen Winchester, virologist and chief investigator of the clinical trial, said the treatment will rapidly curtail the spread of the virus.

“I expect this to be a major advance in the global battle against the devastating human impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Winchester was quoted as saying.

“This simple portable nasal spray could be highly effective in the treatment of COVID-19 and reducing onward transmission.

“Our trial included patients with a variant of concern and high viral loads yet still demonstrated significant reductions in the levels of SARS-CoV-2, which could be critical in supporting vaccines, preventing future outbreaks and safely reopening economies. Simply stated, I think this could be revolutionary.”

Gilly Regev, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of SaNOtize, said emergency authorisation of the treatment will facilitate immediate return to normalcy.

“Now that NONS has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in clinical trials, we must move with urgency to get it into the hands of the public where it can help bring an end to the pandemic, accelerate a return to normality, and prevent future outbreaks of COVID-19 and its variants,” Regev said.