Israel's Anti-Virus Nasal Spray Claims To Be Effective Against COVID-19

Illustration of a nasal spray. (Unsplash/Diana Polekhina)

JAKARTA - Enovid's anti-viral nasal spray, developed in Canada and tested in the UK, is claimed to reduce viral loads in confirmed COVID-19 cases by 95 percent in 24 hours and 99 percent in 72 hours, the company said on Sunday, July 11.

The Israeli-made spray can be used up to five times a day after contact with the virus, according to the release. It is suitable for children as young as 12, and the Ministry of Health approved it in January this year. It will go on sale next week.

"The spray that we have developed has proven not only as a deterrent to the virus that causes COVID-19, but also as a killer," said Dr. Gili Regev, CEO and founder of Snotize, the company that developed the spray.

Since most of the COVID-19 infections are nasal, SaNOtize believes this is an effective way to reduce the spread and infection of COVID-19. It has been able to suppress the SARS-CoV-2 virus within two minutes, including the Alpha and Gamma variants, according to the release. This spray is being tested against the Delta variant.

This spray uses nitric oxide as a mechanical and chemical barrier against viral infections in the nose, where respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 infiltrate the body. This spray is also effective against other respiratory viruses such as those that cause the flu.

Previously citing Reuters March 22, SaNOtize and Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, England announced the results of a clinical trial showing Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) is an effective antiviral treatment, can prevent the transmission of COVID-19, shorten its course, and reduce the severity of symptoms and damage in those already infected.

"The Nitric Oxide formulation used in humans is designed to "kill viruses in the upper airways, preventing them from incubating and spreading to the lungs," said SaNOtize Chief Science Officer Chris Miller.