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Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the biotechnology company Regeneron are studying whether the technology developed for gene therapy can be used to make a nasal spray that prevents infection with new coronaviruses. In gene therapy, a genetic code is delivered to a patient’s cells to correct errors and cure diseases.
The research team found that a group of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) that infect humans and other primates but are not known to cause disease can be modified to carry healthy DNA into cells. The idea is to use an attenuated virus to transmit genetic instructions to the cells in the nose and throat, which in turn will produce strong antibodies that prevent the body from becoming infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The technology is currently being tested on animals and, if successful, can provide people with about six months of protection with a single dose sprayed into the nose. Since the coronavirus enters the lungs through the nose, the spray could stop the infection early on. The researchers hope to complete their animal studies by January, after which human tests will begin.
Source: barrons.com.
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