CEBINA publishes data demonstrating the anti-histamine azelastine inhibits infection by major variants of SARS-CoV-2

CEBINA GmbH, Central European Biotech Incubator and Accelerator, today announces the publication of research results demonstrating that the commonly used anti-histamine, azelastine, is a potent inhibitor of major variants of SARS- CoV-2 in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Pharmacology (1).

 

Despite many countries relaxing COVID precautionary measures, experts have warned of a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 infections already beginning this summer and a return to pandemic restrictions. Since emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants exhibit increased infectivity and existing vaccines have reduced efficacy against emerging mutants it is vitally important to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with additional anti-COVID approaches. The data presented in the newly published research paper describes the application of a novel computational prediction approach for the identification of the anti-histamine drug, azelastine as anti-COVID-19 approach.  The data demonstrates the comparable potency and efficacy of Azelastine against the original, alpha and delta variants SARS-CoV-2 virus in cell culture and reconstituted human nasal tissue.

 

โ€œWe are very pleased to see our work recognised through publishing in a peer-reviewed journal. Azelastine is already widely available as nasal spray and acts directly at the initial site of viral infection, therefore we believe it to have great potential as long-term solution to combat viral infections, in the early phase when the virus is mainly in the noseโ€ commented Professor Dr Robert Konrat, CEBINAโ€™s collaborator from the University of Vienna.

 

โ€œThe publication of our data on azelastine potency against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its major variants provides the basis for our goal to develop a commercially already available azelastine nasal spray as an anti-COVID approachโ€. commented Eszter Nagy, MD PhD, CEO, CSO and founder of CEBINA.   โ€œAzelastine has already been successfully tested in a Phase 2 clinical trial through our partnership with URSAPHARM Arzneimittel, where it was proven to significantly reduce the viral load in the nasal cavity of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, without adverse health events.โ€ 

 

CEBINA has previously partnered with the pharmaceutical company URSAPHARM Arzneimittel who have completed a Phase 2 clinical trial and are currently entering in a multi-national Phase 3 clinical study testing the efficacy of their marketed azelastine containing nasal spray, Pollivalยฎ, in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.

 

CEBINA GmbH โ€“ Central European Biotech Incubator and Accelerator (www.cebina.eu) is an Austria-based company committed to advancing entrepreneurship through creating and nurturing early-stage life science projects and companies to develop new medicines and cutting-edge technologies. CEBINA actively identifies academic projects with product development potential to create new companies. CEBINA is also pursuing its own research & development projects, in particular in the infectious diseases area and has initiated multiple R&D projects to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. CEBINA also offers office and laboratory facilities, in-house research, development, financing and management capabilities to early and medium stage biotech companies.

 

  1. Konrat, R., et al., The Anti-histamine Azelastine, Identified by Computational Drug Repurposing, Inhibits Infection by Major Variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Cell Cultures and Reconstituted Human Tissue (doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.861295)

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