15 October 2020 - - Israel-based biopharmaceutical company Nasus Pharma has released data from a prospective clinical post marketing users survey demonstrating that Taffix, the company's innovative nasal powder inhaler that effectively blocks viruses from reaching nasal mucosa, was able to reduce infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 virus after super spread event by at least 4 fold.

Nasus's user survey was conducted in Bney Brak- a city that tops Israel's list of COVID-19 infection and mortality. Members of a synagogue community were offered the use of Taffix and instructed to use it when approaching a highly populated environment.

The survey was planned ahead of Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year) an event that involved many hours spent in close proximity among prayers for at least 7 hours each day for 2 consecutive days and was defined as a super spread event.

Users and non users among the synagogue community were followed up to 14 days after the event. Rate of infection among non users was 10% (16/160,) while rate of infection among Taffix users was 2.4% (2/83 ITT, p=0.037) or 0% (0/81 PP p=0.002).

At the same time period the general infection rate in the city of Bney Brak increased by some 60%.

Taffix, currently approved for marketing as a protective mechanical barrier against allergens and viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) within the nasal cavity in Europe and to block inhaled viruses and bacteria within the nasal cavity in Israel, was developed to create an acidic microenvironment in the nose which is proven to prevent viruses from entering and infecting nasal cells.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests the nose is the main gateway of airborne droplet viral infection to the body for viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

Taffix powder creates a unique thin acidified gel above the nasal mucosa that lasts 5 hours, significantly shielding the nasal cells from inhaled viruses through both mechanical and chemical protection.

As such Taffix may be an important new protective tool for preventing SARS-CoV-2 viral infections in addition to the multiple preventive measures taken currently.

The results of this prospective survey will be submitted to publication in the near future.

Based on its unique microsphere technology Nasus Pharma is developing a number of intranasal powder products aimed at assisting patients in several acute emergency situations such as opioid overdose and anaphylactic shock.

Intranasal administration is most suitable for those situations in which rapid drug delivery is required and offers multiple advantages such as rapid drug delivery, ease of use, non-invasiveness, and safety.

Nasus portfolio comprises a number of programs: Intranasal Naloxone (heading to phase 3) and Intranasal Epinephrine (phase 2) as well as a number of preclinical POC programs.