US DOD Bets $10 million on Aussie Antiviral Nasal Spray
It's a simple, convenient nasal spray that could help prevent several respiratory viral infections, including the common cold. That would be good news.
Currently known by the easily forgettable name of INNA-051, the spray is in fact a first-in-class TLR2/6 agonist that aims to combat respiratory viruses at their most common entry pathway: our noses. This could mean that all we need is a weekly sniff to ward off a range of pathogens (and, therefore, it's better than a vaccine), blocking them before the body has to mount an immune defense.
The spray has been developed by Melbourne-based pharmaceutical company ENA Respiratory and has received millions in investments over recent years, including nearly $10 million from the US Department of Defense (DOD). But why? Well, it could be a game-changer when it comes to warding off infectious illnesses - be it during a pandemic or a seasonal influenza outbreak - for those in the line of duty. Of course, the treatment would also benefit the general public.
ENA Respiratory has just announced that it is starting a first-in-patients clinical trial with INNA-051, testing its efficacy on people with asthma, which is set to get underway in early 2027.
Like vaccines, INNA-051 doesn't form an impervious biological barrier to infection. It reduces the viral load, allowing the body to combat infections more efficiently. This could greatly reduce time spent sick in healthy adults and save lives in those with compromised immune systems - especially respiratory-related ones. That really would be good news. So, it's no wonder that the trials are causing considerable excitement.
