On Wednesday, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and its partner SaNOtize Research announced the launch of Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS), under the brand name FabiSpray, for the treatment of COVID-19 in adult patients.
FabiSpray is specifically designed for COVID-19 patients who have a high risk of progression of the disease.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the manufacturing and marketing of NONS, which kills the coronavirus in the upper airways, as part of the accelerated approval process.
Glenmark said that FabiSpray has “proven anti-microbial properties with a direct virucidal effect on SARS-CoV-2.”
Upon spraying over nasal mucosa, NONS acts as a physical and chemical barrier against the coronavirus, preventing it from spreading to the lungs.
The company said, “As a leading pharmaceutical player, it is important that we are an integral part of India’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We are happy to receive regulatory approval for Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (FabiSpray) and launch it in partnership with SaNOtize.”
Robert Crockart, Chief Commercial Officer at Glenmark said, “This reaffirms our commitment of providing yet another safe and effective antiviral treatment for COVID-19, and we are confident that it will offer patients a much-needed and timely therapy option.”
In India, the Phase 3 clinical trials of FabiSpray demonstrated a reduction of viral load by 94% in 24 hours and 99% in 48 hours, according to Mint.
Dr. Monika Tandon, Senior VP and Head of Clinical Development at Glenmark, said, “In the current scenario, with new emerging variants exhibiting high transmissibility, NONS provides a useful option in India’s fight against COVID-19.”
“As per studies conducted in the Utah State University USA, NONS is proven to kill 99.9% of SARS-Cov-2 virus, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon variant within 2 minutes,” she added. In July 2021, Glenmark collaborated with SaNOtize to manufacture and market NONS for COVID-19 treatment in India and other Asian markets.
