Thai scientists say “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray will be available later this year

A new “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray is being developed by Thai scientists and the medication, which is said to prevent a coronavirus infection, is expected to be available to the public later this year.

In studies using lab animals, the nasal spray has been shown to block the virus from entering the body. The Health Systems Research Institute, Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and an unnamed private bioscience organisation are working together to produce the spray.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus two years ago, a group of researchers has been working on the spray with funding from the business sector and the state-run HSRI.

A collaboration agreement has been inked to manufacture the anti-Covid-19 nasal spray, which could be a topic of global study. The research has advanced to the point where a prototype antibody has been obtained and patented.

The invention is being handed to the commercial sector, which is doing medical studies to meet the criteria required for registration with the Food and Drug Administration.

The spray is expected to be ready to buy in the third quarter of this year, according to the the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University.

The spray is based on a previous study that used a monoclonal antibody collected from recovered Covid-19 patients.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post