Israeli Anti-Viral Nasal Spray gets first sales approvals
Manufacturing of NONS, under the brand name Enovid, has begun in Israel with Sanotize’s manufacturing partner, Ness Ziona-based Nextar Chempharma Solutions.
By ZEV STUBGeorge Washington University student Jessica Hirsh is given the H1N1 flu nasal spray vaccine at the Student Health Service clinic in Washington, November 19, 2009(photo credit: REUTERS/HYUNGWON KANG)
Biotech company SaNOtize Research & Development said Monday that it has received interim approval in Israel to sell its Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS), which is designed to protect users from viruses that enter the body through the upper nasal pathways. The product is expected to be sold in pharmacies in Israel by the summer, and has been registered to begin being sold in New Zealand.Manufacturing of NONS, under the brand name Enovid, has begun in Israel with Sanotize’s manufacturing partner, Ness Ziona-based Nextar Chempharma Solutions. In New Zealand, SaNOtize has registered its nasal spray with the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, which has permitted the company to distribute and sell NONS over the counter immediately, the company said.Last week, SaNOtize along with Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, UK, announced results of clinical trials indicating that NONS represents a safe and effective antiviral treatment that could prevent the transmission of COVID-19, shorten its course, and reduce the severity of symptoms and damage in those already infected. The study has been submitted to a leading medical journal for review and publication.“Our novel formulation of nitric oxide for use in humans is designed to kill viruses in the upper airways, preventing them from incubating and spreading to the lungs," according to Dr. Chris Miller, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of SaNOtize. "The pharmacology, toxicity and safety data for use in humans has been well-established for decades. Our innovative product design also allows the treatment to be self-administered effectively and affordably.”
