Toward a Radically Simple Multi-Modal Nasal Spray for Preventing Respiratory Infections

Adv Mater. 2024 Nov;36(46):e2406348. doi: 10.1002/adma.202406348. Epub 2024 Sep 24.

Abstract

Nasal sprays for pre-exposure prophylaxis against respiratory infections show limited protection (20-70%), largely due to their single mechanism of action-either neutralizing pathogens or blocking their entry at the nasal lining, and a failure to maximize the capture of respiratory droplets, allowing them to potentially rebound and reach deeper airways. This report introduces the Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray (PCANS), which utilizes a multi-modal approach to enhance efficacy. PCANS coats the nasal cavity, capturing large respiratory droplets from the air, and serving as a physical barrier against a broad spectrum of viruses and bacteria, while rapidly neutralizing them with over 99.99% effectiveness. The formulation consists of excipients identified from the FDA's Inactive Ingredient Database and Generally Recognized as Safe list to maximize efficacy for each step in the multi-modal approach. PCANS demonstrates nasal retention for up to 8 hours in mice. In a severe Influenza A mouse model, a single pre-exposure dose of PCANS leads to a >99.99% reduction in lung viral titer and ensures 100% survival, compared to 0% in the control group. PCANS suppresses pathological manifestations and offers protection for at least 4 hours. This data suggest PCANS as a promising daily-use prophylactic against respiratory infections.

Keywords: antibacterial; antiviral; broad spectrum protection; nasal prophylaxis; nasal spray; pathogen capture; respiratory infections; virus neutralization.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Mice
  • Nasal Sprays*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / prevention & control
  • Respiratory Tract Infections* / prevention & control
  • Respiratory Tract Infections* / virology

Substances

  • Nasal Sprays