Australia: Researchers trial blood-thinning drug heparin as nasal spray to combat COVID

In Australia, researchers from Melbourne have developed a nasal spray based on one of the world's most commonly used medications to prevent COVID transmission. Researchers in Australia will see if spraying a popular blood thinner into the nose can protect people from contracting the coronavirus.

The nasal spray contains heparin, which is commonly used to prevent blood clotting but also appears to prevent COVID infections, according to the researchers, BBC reported. Although the spray coats the nose, it does not penetrate the lungs. It is inexpensive, easy to disseminate, and predicted to be effective against mutant strains of the virus, including the Omicron variant, according to the researchers.

Don Campbell, medical divisional director at Northern Health, said he had a crazy thought that the blood-thinning medicine heparin could stop the virus from multiplying in cells, according to the media agency. His team was able to replicate international findings that heparin can inhibit the transmission of COVID and prevent infection over two years later, with the support of researchers from Melbourne, Monash, and Oxford Universities.

"It won't matter if a new variant comes along, this drug will block that protein from infecting the cells," BBC reported, quoting Campbell.

Heparin does not enter the bloodstream when inhaled, according to the study. Instead, it sits in the nose, allowing the virus to attach to it rather than human cells. People will take two puffs three times a day to test if it prevents sick residents from infecting non-infected residents in the home. It will be expanded to more social contexts if it shows to be beneficial.

Victorian Govt $4.2 million in clinical trials for treatment

The Victorian government has invested $4.2 million in clinical trials for the treatment. Within hours of their household contact testing positive, 340 Victorian homes will be given heparin nasal spray or a placebo to limit transmission over the next six months. Heparin is the world's second most extensively used medicine, with a shelf life of more than three months at ambient temperature, allowing it to be widely distributed.

According to BBC, Gary Anderson, director of the University of Melbourne's Lung Health Research Centre, said the spray would be simple to use: two puffs each nostril, three times a day. Michelle McIntosh, director of Monash University's Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, has been working on the greatest possible nasal spray formulation for the past 20 months. She explained that some coronavirus vaccines were only available in limited quantities in some countries because they had to be stored at extremely low temperatures.

(With inputs from agencies)

(Image: AP)