Thanks DEP. Great to see something on SPL site that isn't all...

Thanks DEP. Great to see something on SPL site that isn't all about a conspiracy or fantasy.

Good to see others looking at nasal spray . In regards to peer review back in March 23 from data earlier. I would have to look to see SPL has specifically published and had peer reviewed specific variants at that time? SPL has the opportunity to correct the record as you would be aware if they have suitable data etc.

One thing we have al learnt from SPL is it is all about the wording when making claims .

These developments all give extra possible tools in fighting viral infections so it will be a very competitive market ( with products using different chemical bonds and methods) in the future and sad that the opportunity has been missed by SPL in proving their product and gaining a market position and branding advantage that would make it much harder for the competition.

Worth watching the progress and also noting that FRE announced today they have published 8 months after their trial and intend on being in a marketplace before June.

https://pandemblock.com/covidin

Covidin blocks recent immunoevasive Omicron subvariants

Comprehensive preclinical studies of Covidin (TriSb92) demonstrate Covidin's high inhibitory potency against all COVID-19 variants of concern (VOCs), exhibiting among the most potent viral inhibition against SARS-CoV-2. Patent application on Covidin TriSb92 molecule has been submitted by Pandemblock in December 2021.



https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/pandemics/biological-mask-administered-nasal-spray-can-protect-against-coronavirus-infection-hours

The findings have been published in an as of yet non-refereed report.

Targeting the Achilles heel of the coronavirus

The TriSb92 molecule is based on an entirely new technical solution developed in Finland for targeting biological drugs. In the study carried out at the University of Helsinki, this solution was utilised to inhibit the functioning of the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“Targeting this inhibitory effect of the TriSb92 molecule to a site of the coronavirus spike protein common to all variants of the virus makes it possible to effectively inhibit the ability of all known variants, Omicron included, to infect people,” Mäkelä explains.

In model virus studies, TriSb92 was able to prevent even the spread of SARS, the virus that threatened us in the early 2000s.

“In other words, we can fairly confidently assume that future variants of SARS-CoV-2 and perhaps even entirely new coronaviruses that may threaten to cause pandemics are susceptible to it,” Mäkelä confirms.

The product, which is nasally administered, could in the future serve as a kind of biological protection against coronavirus infection that is sprayed on the mucous membranes.

Vaccines still needed

Mäkelä works in Professor Kalle Saksela’s laboratory at the University of Helsinki. Saksela is involved in the development of a Finnish nasally administered coronavirus vaccine, which is expected to progress to clinical trials in the spring. Mäkelä and Saksela emphasise that, instead of competing with them, TriSb92 is a solution that supplements vaccines.

“These types of molecules that prevent infections, or antiviral drugs for that matter, cannot substitute for vaccines in protecting the population against the coronavirus disease,” Saksela points out.

However, there is a great need for novel means with which to enhance the protection provided by vaccines.

“Individuals whose immune system does not respond strongly enough to vaccines spring to mind in particular. Having said that, we know that new variants, especially Omicron, are capable of circumventing even effective vaccine responses worryingly well. Taken before any kind of social interaction, TriSb92 could be useful to people whose vaccine protection is insufficient for one reason or another. Depending on the epidemic situation, it could also benefit fully vaccinated individuals when administered before any situation associated with a high risk of exposure,” Saksela assesses.

Original article (peer review not completed): Anna R. Mäkelä, Hasan Uğurlu, Liina Hannula, Petja Salminen, Ravi Kant, Riku Fagerlund, Anu Haveri, Tomas Strandin, Lauri Kareinen, Jussi Hepojoki, Lev Levanov, Arja Pasternack, Rauno A. Naves, Olli Ritvos, Pamela Österlund, Tarja Sironen, Olli Vapalahti, Anja Kipar, Juha T. Huiskonen, Ilona Rissanen, Kalle Saksela: Intranasal inhibitor blocks omicron and other variants of SARS-CoV-2. Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1196079/v1

Anna Mäkelä will describe the study on the TriSb92 molecule at a COVID-19 seminar organised by the University of Helsinki on 25 January 2022 at 12.00. Further information and a link to the Zoom live stream on our website

Further information

AM

Anna Mäkelä

Postdoctoral researcher

Department of Virology

[email protected]