Efficacy of a Nasal Spray Containing Iota-Carrageenan in the Postexposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Hospital Personnel Dedicated to Patients Care with COVID-19 Disease

• Published in: International journal of general medicine Vol. 14; pp. 6277 - 6286
• Main Authors: Figueroa, Juan Manuel, Lombardo, Mónica Edith, Dogliotti, Ariel, Flynn, Luis Pedro, Giugliano, Robert, Simonelli, Guido, Valentini, Ricardo, Ramos, Agñel, Romano, Pablo, Marcote, Marcelo, Michelini, Alicia, Salvado, Alejandro, Sykora, Emilio, Kniz, Cecilia, Kobelinsky, Marcelo, Salzberg, David Manuel, Jerusalinsky, Diana, Uchitel, Osvaldo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Antiviral agents; Care and treatment; Carrageenin; Clinical Trial Report; Coronaviruses; covid-19; DNA polymerases; Health aspects; hospital workers; Immunization; Medical equipment; Medical personnel; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; nasal; Patients; prophylaxis; spray; Sulfates; Viruses; Argentina; United States > US; Uruguay; Europe; Guatemala; Honduras; Paraguay; Costa Rica; COVID-19; nasal; hospital workers; spray; prophylaxis
• ISSN: 1178-7074; 1178-7074
• DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S328486

Iota-Carrageenan (I-C) is a sulfate polysaccharide synthesized by red algae, with demonstrated antiviral activity and clinical efficacy as nasal spray in the treatment of common cold. In vitro, I-C inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in cell culture.
Can a nasal spray with Iota-Carrageenan be useful in the prophylaxis of COVID-19 in health care workers managing patients with COVID-19 disease?
This is a pilot pragmatic multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the use of a nasal spray containing I-C in the prophylaxis of COVID-19 in hospital personnel dedicated to care of COVID-19 patients. Clinically healthy physicians, nurses, kinesiologists and other health care providers managing patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive four daily doses of I-C spray or placebo for 21 days. The primary end point was clinical COVID-19, as confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing, over a period of 21 days. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04521322).
A total of 394 individuals were randomly assigned to receive I-C or placebo. Both treatment groups had similar baseline characteristics. The incidence of COVID-19 differs significantly between subjects receiving the nasal spray with I-C (2 of 196 [1.0%]) and those receiving placebo (10 of 198 [5.0%]). Relative risk reduction: 79.8% (95% CI 5.3 to 95.4; p=0.03). Absolute risk reduction: 4% (95% CI 0.6 to 7.4).
In this pilot study a nasal spray with I-C showed significant efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in health care workers managing patients with COVID-19 disease.
NCT04521322.