Arizona company hopes its COVID-19 nasal spray can help people as they wait for vaccine

PHOENIX - As scientists around the world race to find a cure for COVID-19 and develop a vaccine, a group of scientists have come together in Arizona to find another solution.

The scientists say a simple nasal spray that could stop COVID-19 in its tracks could be a gamechanger if they succeed, and the group is gearing up for human trials.

“First of all, this is not a vaccine. We don’t treat it as a vaccine. It’s neither nor as complex as a vaccine," said James Keating, CEO of Sotira.

Despite what Keating said about the nasal spray, he believes his scientists can bridge the gap for someone waiting on a vaccine, or can’t get a vaccine. 

The nasal spray is a keptide that blocks the virus.

"Essentially, what we have created is a blocker of viral entry that prevents the virus from entering into your cells and infecting you, and it’s delivered from a nasal spray similar to how you’d take a nasal decongestant," said Gunnar Gottschalk, the Principal Investigator for Sotira.

The company said it has been 100% effective so far on mice. The idea would be for people to have this at home and take it before they start the day.

"Most likely, we are targeting spring 2021 to finish the first stage of human trials. That’s our goal," said Avik Roy, the Scientific Director of Sotira.