Pneumagen announced today that study results show the effectiveness of its Neumifil intranasal drug in treating COVID-19.

St. Andrews, Scotland-based Pneumagen’s Neumafil, a viral intranasal drug for protection against respiratory tract infections (RTIs), was used on a hamster model of COVID-19 infection and displayed effectiveness as it significantly reduced clinical signs and weight loss in animals infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to a news release.

Additionally, Pneumagen scientists at the University of St. Andrews confirmed high-affinity bonding to COVID-19 spike proteins from the Wuhan, United Kingdom and South African variants, as well as the ACE2 receptor which is used by the virus to infect the host.

Neumifil is a first-in-class carbohydrate-binding module (mCBMs) generated from Pneumagen’s GlycoTarge platform. The drug is being developed to treat RTIs caused by influenza viruses, RSV and coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

“This exciting data confirms Neumifil’s potential as a treatment against variant strains of COVID-19,” Pneumagen CEO Douglas Thomson said in the release. “Neumifil, our universal pan-viral intranasal product, targets glycans to provide both prophylaxis and treatment for COVID-19, and other emerging viruses with pandemic potential. We are preparing for a Phase I clinical study in mid-2021.”