A nasal spray that could stop the COVID-19 virus from replicating is currently being developed, researchers have revealed according to a report by The Guardian.

The race is on to develop a vaccine for this novel virus that has disrupted the entire world. However, scientists are also venturing down different avenues to tackle the COVID-19 beast. “Now scientists have released the results of initial work on a drug-like molecule they say interacts with cells in the nasal cavity to activate the body’s innate immune system,” The Guardian reports.

“It kicks in like a defence shield, which is broad-spectrum and non-specific,” said Roberto Solari, visiting professor for the research group and advisor to Australian company Ena Respiratory that is developing the molecule to use in this nasal spray.

The trial was done on four groups of six ferrets: three of the groups were administered the substance (INNA-051) into the nose, while the fourth group was given a placebo. The Guardian reports that the day after the substance or placebo were administered for a second time, all groups were exposed to COVID-19 and the ferrets were monitored for 12 days, with the researchers taking nasal and throat samples.

Just five days after the ferrets were exposed to the virus, the quantity of the genetic material of COVID-19 taken from throat swabs was reduced by 96 per cent among the ferrets given the INNA-051 in comparison to those ferrets that were administered the placebo.

“The hope is that it will reduce the duration and severity of the symptoms and if you reduce the number of viral particles in the nose, the hope is that it would reduce transmission – although they haven’t done those studies yet,” said Solari.