Carrageenan Nasal Spray for COVID-19 Prophylaxis (ICE-COVID)

[Ediswan]

An earlier post made reference to 'Boots Dual Defence Nasal Spray' being used as an off-label precaution against Covid. The active ingredient is Carrageenan, a seaweed extract. The current claim is 'Helps stop cold and flu like symptoms'.

However, some seem to think it might be useful at preventing Covid, not just relieving symptoms. Swansea University are sponsoring a quadruple-masked (blinded) phase III clinical trial.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04590365

The primary outcome is:

Acquisition of COVID-19 infection as confirmed by positive PCR swab taken at the time of symptom onset or positive serology measured 2 weeks after symptom onset or seroconversion at the end of the trial (via trial entry and exit serology) to detect asymptomatic infection during the study period.

So they are looking at infection, not just symptoms. They are looking for 480 participants.

However, the trial appears to be stuck in 'Recruiting'. This may be down to some of the participation criteria.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants with proven COVID-19 infection (previous positive serology and/or viral PCR swab)
• Participants that have already received their vaccination or already booked in for their vaccination

Scientifically, the criteria are sensible (could discuss 'already booked'). Practically, they may be hard to meet. The vast majority of the population have been vaccinated. Another large chunk are under-age. Some of the remainder will have had proven COVID-19. This will be a problem for all such trials. A problem which has already been written up elsewhere, not my personal insight.

The more time passes, the harder it will be for a trial to find sufficient volunteers who meet those exclusion criteria.

 

[Yew]

This hasn't got as much discussion as it should have, but its awesome that there is yet another tool in our arsenal. In vulnerable groups, even endemic coronaviruses can be serious, and I'm sure in years to come we'll start seeing the benefit of all the new treatments we've developed for corona-family viruses. Particularly MERS and SARS, for which widespread immunity is not extant.

 

[Dent]

What does using it as a "precaution" actually mean, and what is the usage case for it? It sounds like to be effecive as a precaution then people would have to take it continuously for their whole lives. Two concerns there:

1. What are the long-term effects of prolonged continuous use of something which was only intended as a short-term treatment?
2. How much would this cost, and for what real benefit?

 

[Cloud Strife]

This hasn't got as much discussion as it should have, but its awesome that there is yet another tool in our arsenal. In vulnerable groups, even endemic coronaviruses can be serious, and I'm sure in years to come we'll start seeing the benefit of all the new treatments we've developed for corona-family viruses. Particularly MERS and SARS, for which widespread immunity is not extant.

Yes, if you look at what's happening with mRNA technology now, we're on the cusp of seeing some very, very exciting new vaccines and other tools. It's not just the corona family, but in many other areas too. There's one suggestion that for $20-30 billion, we can have a library of mRNA vaccines against each viral family. The idea is that if there's a new pandemic, we can go "okay, it's from xx family, we just need to adjust this proven vaccine to cater for the specifics of this new virus and job done".

It is very possible that we're standing on the edge of a revolution.

 

[Yew]

Yes, if you look at what's happening with mRNA technology now, we're on the cusp of seeing some very, very exciting new vaccines and other tools. It's not just the corona family, but in many other areas too. There's one suggestion that for $20-30 billion, we can have a library of mRNA vaccines against each viral family. The idea is that if there's a new pandemic, we can go "okay, it's from xx family, we just need to adjust this proven vaccine to cater for the specifics of this new virus and job done".

It is very possible that we're standing on the edge of a revolution.

If you think about it, some of our current vaccines were going into trials in around April 2020. If we already knew they were safe, the last few years would have been very different.

 

[Ediswan]

What does using it as a "precaution" actually mean, and what is the usage case for it? It sounds like to be effecive as a precaution then people would have to take it continuously for their whole lives. Two concerns there:

'Precaution' was my choice of word, so don't read too much into it.

 

[Dent]

'Precaution' was my choice of word, so don't read too much into it.

It is still not clear what the usage case is. An endemic virus can be caught at any time, so when would this "precaution" be taken?