A nasal spray to treat adults has been developed in New Delhi. After receiving marketing authorization from the Drugs Controller General of India as part of an accelerated regulatory process, COVID-19 patients has been introduced in India by Mumbai-based developers Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.
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The nitric oxide spray, dubbed FabiSpray, is supposed to be squirted onto nasal mucosa, where it will operate as a physical and chemical barrier against the virus, according to Glenmark. According to the business, it will “destroy the COVID-19 virus in the upper airways.” - Although the company has yet to publish trial results in a peer-reviewed journal, the product has gained a ‘CE’ mark from the European Union, which is the equivalent of marketing permission in the case of a medical device, and is sold as ‘envoid’ in Bahrain and Israel.
- Trial data shows “reduction of viral load of 94 per cent in 24 hours and 99 per cent in 48 hours”, the company said, stressing the product was “safe and well-tolerated” by patients.
- Nasal sprays and orally-administered drugs are seen as the ‘second generation’ of COVID-19 vaccines that could be made available over the next few weeks and months, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist, said in November.
- At present, India’s Covid vaccine basket consists primarily of Covishield (developed by AstraZeneca and manufactured by the Serum Institute) and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. As of Wednesday morning over 170.9 crore doses have been administered nationwide.
