Previously, CEBINA and URSAPHARM have demonstrated that azelastine has potent inhibitory activity against all significant SARS-CoV-2 variants (alpha, beta, delta) in in vitro infection models using isolated virus strains and have demonstrated in a Phase II efficacy indicator clinical trial that azelastine 0.1% (Pollival®) was effective in reducing the viral load in the nasal cavity of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients by over 80% after 3 days of treatment and led to a reduction in symptoms [1].
Over the last month, the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant has spread throughout the world, rapidly dominating other strains and showing signs that SARS-CoV-2 may soon become endemic, similar to seasonal coronaviruses. As countries struggle with exploding numbers of infections while in some areas reducing preventative measurements and lockdowns, it is vitally important that disease severity is limited through vaccination and other anti-viral strategies to protect populations.