Kathmandu, August 2. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has signed a deal with Canadian company SaNOtize Research and Development Corp for the manufacture of nasal sprays that will be effective for the treatment against COVID-19.

According to a statement by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, they are planning to commercialize the spray and distribute it in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Nepal, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

The Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) will help to reduce the burden of the pandemic in the region and ensure access of the spray to a wider world audience, says managing director of Glenmark, Glenn Saldanha.

Gilly Regev, CEO and co-founder of SaNOtize, said in a statement, “In joining forces with Glenmark, SaNOtize can accelerate the efforts to have its antiviral nasal spray available as a self-administered, first line of defence against COVID-19 during the current pandemic and to help prevent future outbreaks”

The nasal spray is said to kill coronavirus in the upper airways; hence preventing it from spreading the virus into the lungs. The Nitric Oxide nasal spray reduced the average viral load by around 95 per cent In the first 24 hours and then by more than 99 per cent within 72 hours, according to SaNOtize’s clinical trials. It was tested healthy amongst the volunteers.

The spray is said to be launching under the brand name FabiSpray in India, during the fourth quarter of 2021.