Ena Respiratory (formerly Innavac) said that its INNA-051 pegylated TLR2/6 agonist nasal spray reduced replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a ferret model by up to 96% in a study conducted by researchers at Public Health England. The company also announced that it has raised AU$11.7 million in Series A financing for a clinical trial that could begin by early 2021 and is looking for additional funding.
According to Ena, INNA-051 stimulates the innate immune system, and the nasal spray could be quickly manufactured and distributed for use one or two times a week as a prophylactic. The company was developing INNA-051 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic as a treatment for respiratory viruses, including influenza and rhinovirus.
Ena Respiratory Managing Director Christophe Demaison commented, “We’ve been amazed with just how effective our treatment has been. By boosting the natural immune response of the ferrets with our treatment, we’ve seen a rapid eradication of the virus. If humans respond in a similar way, the benefits of treatment are two-fold. Individuals exposed to the virus would most likely rapidly eliminate it, with the treatment ensuring that the disease does not progress beyond mild symptoms. This is particularly relevant to vulnerable members of the community. In addition, the rapidity of this response means that the infected individuals are unlikely to pass it on, meaning a swift halt to community transmission.”
Read the Ena Respiratory press release.
