Starpharma has announced that testing of its SPL7013 astodrimer sodium intranasal formulation at the Scripps Research Institute demonstrated that the formulation inactivated nearly 100% of SARS-CoV-2 with low cellular toxicity. The company already markets several astodrimer sodium products under the VivaGel brand in a number of countries, including a VivaGel condom and vaginal gels for the prevention of bacterial vaginosis and sexually transmitted diseases.
Earlier this month, Starpharma received A$1 million in matched funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program for development of the SPL7013 nasal spray for the prevention and treatment of COVID‑19. The company said that it expects to have the nasal spray ready for the market in the first half of 2021 as it has already finished the nasal formulation and has selected a device, packaging components, and a manufacturer for the nasal spray. In addition, a regulatory submission is being prepared, and the company is in talks regarding distribution.
Scripps researcher Philippe Gallay commented, “We have been working with Starpharma for a number of months now and are impressed with the antiviral data generated in our lab for SPL7013 against SARS-CoV-2. It is particularly exciting to see a product show such a potent and clear virucidal effect against this highly infectious virus, and for its antiviral activity to be present when SPL7013 is added either before or after exposure of cells to the virus.”
Starpharma CEO Jackie Fairley said, “We are delighted to be working with Professor Gallay to expedite the development of this important product. These latest data show that at clinically relevant concentrations (at the concentration of the SPL7013 COVID‑19 nasal spray), SPL7013 inactivates more than 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2, which represents a compelling feature for the product. This potent virucidal action is consistent with the activity seen for SPL7013 in other viruses, including HIV and HSV. Starpharma’s COVID-19 nasal spray has potential to be an important near-term preventative product, and given it is based on an already marketed active, its path to market is both faster and less complex than a completely new product. . . . Starpharma’s topical antiviral nasal spray could play a role both prior to vaccines being available, and complementary to vaccines once available to further reduce risk.”
Read the Starpharma press release.
