USP develops nasal spray vaccine against covid-19

The University of São Paulo (USP) is developing a nasal spray vaccine against covid-19. According to the university, the immunization model has already been tested – with positive results – in mice against hepatitis B. To build the new vaccine, USP researchers placed a protein from the new coronavirus inside a nanoparticle, created from a natural substrate. The resulting substance is spray-applied to the patient's nostrils. According to the team that develops the vaccine, from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of USP, the expectation is that the patient's organism will produce IgA Secretoram, a type of antibody present in saliva, tear, colostrum, respiratory tract, intestine and uterus, which would act in the fight against the new coronavirus. The nanoparticle created by the researchers and used in the construction of the vaccine allows the substance to remain in the nasal mucosa for up to four hours, long enough to be absorbed and initiate a response of the immune system. According to USP, to ensure immunization, it will be necessary to apply four doses – two in each nostril, with an interval of 15 days. Prototypes should be ready in about three months – when it will be possible to start animal testing. The researchers estimate that the product is passed on to the public at a cost of R$ 100 reais. Virologists and immunologists from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of USP, nanotechnology specialists from the Institute of Chemistry of USP, researchers from the Pasteur-USP Scientific Platform, and the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) are also participating in the research.