Altamira Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CYTO) reported positive efficacy data from testing its Bentrio nasal spray in vitro against the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Bentrio is a drug-free nasal spray for protection against airborne viruses and allergens, which has previously shown positive outcomes in a test against the Alpha variant of the virus.
For the Delta variant study, Bentrio or saline control were applied in the same type of assay either prophylactically 10 minutes prior to or therapeutically 24 hours following viral inoculation of reconstituted nasal epithelium cells from human donors, followed by once-daily application for four days.
In saline-treated control cultures, SARS-CoV-2 replicated efficiently, resulting in a rapid increase in viral titer, as measured by the median tissue culture infectious dose.
In contrast, at days three and four, both prophylactic and therapeutic treatment with Bentrio resulted in significantly lower virus titers, reaching -83% when the application was started prior to infection, and -69% to -85% when the application was initiated only when the infection was already ongoing. All values were significant at p<0.01 and <0.05.
“We are very pleased to see the protective effects of Bentrio against SARS-CoV-2 confirmed also with the highly contagious and fast replicating Delta variant,” Thomas Meyer, founder, chairman and CEO of Altamira, said in a statement.
“These fresh results provide further support for the broad applicability of Bentrio,” he added.
Mr. Meyer said that by forming a protective film on the nasal mucosa and trapping particles, Bentrio has a purely physical mode of action and is suitable for use across different types of viruses and virus variants. “We look forward to continuing the commercial roll out of the product, making it available to all those seeking protection,” he added.
Altamira plans to further confirm Bentrio’s efficacy and safety in a COVID-19 clinical trial. While awaiting study approval by the Drugs Controller General of India, Altamira is also preparing to conduct another trial, which may be conducted in lieu of or in combination with the planned trial in India.
