Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with the biotechnology company Regeneron, are attempting to produce a spray for the nose where will protect against coronavirus. The idea is to build on the principle of gene therapy by introducing genetic material through the nose and throat into cells, which in response will produce powerful antibodies that will prevent infection by the new coronavirus.
«The advantage of our approach is that one will not need to have a competent immune system to be effective,» said Professor James Wilson, who is leading the project for the University of Pennsylvania. The method, which is now being tested on animals, could protect against the new coronavirus for about six months with a single dose, the scientist noted, and be complementary to future vaccines.
The US government had contacted James Wilson, a pioneer in gene therapy, to find out whether his laboratory could use against COVID-19 this technology that is in rapid growth. However, his team was only able to move forward after Regeneron developed an innovative treatment based on a synthetic antibody cocktail.
Ο Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted emergency approval to this treatment, which was used mainly in treatment of President Donald Trump. The researchers hope that the nasal spray will be able to stimulate the affected nasal cells to produce the Regeneron antibodies and thus exclude any SARS-CoV-2 infection of the lungs.
As reported by AP - MPE, the side effects may, as they note, be less than those of vaccines currently in the approval stage. The University of Pennsylvania and Regeneron expect to complete by January their tests on animals and ask the FDA for the go-ahead for human trials.
