Brigham and Women's Hospital Researchers Find Nasal Spray Protects Against Respiratory Illnesses

Researchers found that a drug-free nasal spray protected against airborne respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19, influenza, viruses, and pneumonia — in a preclinical study published by Harvard Medical School-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sept. 24.

During experiments, the Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray caught nearly double the number of respiratory droplets, which can carry pathogens, in a 3D-printed model of the human nose with mucus.

In additional experiments with mice, the use of the spray led to a greater reduction in lung virus levels and ensured survival against an otherwise deadly dose of the influenza virus.

HMS professor and anesthesiologist Nitin Joshi, who was a co-author of the study, said that the team’s “three-pronged strategy” in addressing pathogenic infection sets PCANS apart from other existing nasal sprays.

According to Joshi, the steps to infection begin with pathogen-carrying droplets that invade the nasal cavity, then transfer to the nose, and finally into cells.

“Our strategy was to maximize the capture of these respiratory droplets by preventing their bouncing around in the nose, and then to really strengthen the mucus layer in the nose — to block the transport of the pathogen through it — and finally, to neutralize it so that they cannot now enter into the nose canal,” Joshi said.

Joshi added that the team of researchers intentionally used ingredients found in previously FDA-approved nasal sprays that have “widely accepted safety profiles.”

HMS professor Jeffrey M. Karp, another co-author, said that PCANS can provide an “extra layer” of protection against airborne illnesses, in addition to vaccines.

“The big thing here is that we need multiple layers of protection, and the layers that we have right now are not sufficient,” he said. “The vaccines are problematic, the masks are problematic, so we need this additional layer of protection.”

HMS professor and immunologist Dan H. Barouch ’93, who was not affiliated with the study, said its results could be applied to various respiratory illnesses, beyond those tested during experiments.

“It has the potential of preventing not one but many different respiratory illnesses, and so it could be deployed for many different outbreaks, including outbreaks for which we don’t know the pathogen yet,” he said.

“It really just forms a physical blockade, and that’s why it has the potential of working against many different classes,” Barouch added.

Biomedical company Akita Biosciences — whose co-founders include Karp and Joshi — licensed the PCANS technology to create their product, Profi Nasal Spray, according to Akita co-founder and CEO Alex Revelos.

Although Profi Nasal Spray has not been studied on humans, it is currently marketed as a personal care item for nasal hygiene and is popular among places such as schools, airplanes, nursing homes, and crowded spaces, Revelos said.

Karp said that in addition to the potential medical applications, the study offers possibilities for further research and development, including “an incredible ability to block allergens.”

“We’re quite, quite excited about this,” Karp added.