A new nasal spray with a unique superhero-inspired approach has Harvard scientists cautiously optimistic about the future of preventing respiratory illnesses. The drug-free spray, designed by experts at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), reportedly uses a gel matrix to snare and deactivate invading germs. Recently published results suggest this could add a valuable layer of defense against common respiratory baddies, from your standard flu to the ever-present COVID-19.
The spray, dubbed Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray (PCANS), employs compounds listed as safe by the FDA to potentially stop pathogens in their tracks. It's designed to prevent those germs that love to travel via nose-bound droplets from digging in and replicating – something that vaccines and masks also aim to do. "The COVID pandemic showed us what respiratory pathogens can do to humanity in a very short time," Jeffrey Karp, co-senior author and anesthesiology chair at BWH, told The Harvard Gazette. "That threat hasn’t gone away."
In the lab at BWH, the spray was tested with a 3D-printed human nose model. Notably, PCANS was able to attach to twice as many droplets as traditional mucus. John Joseph, a former postdoctoral fellow at BWH and primary author, explained, "PCANS forms a gel, increasing its mechanical strength by a hundred times, forming a solid barrier," as stated in therelease from The Harvard Gazette. According to their tests, PCANS blocked and neutralized almost 100 percent of the nasties thrown at it, including Influenza and SARS-CoV-2. A pretty formidable blanket of protection if human trials support these initial findings.
Researchers are exploring the potential for PCANS to also block allergens, which could significantly benefit those with chronic allergies. This innovative research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital is supported by funding from the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation and the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine.
