Nautilus Launches COVID-19 Chewing Gum: "VitRx" - A New OTC Medicated Chewing Gum

STUTTGART, Germany - July 20, 2022 - PRLog -- Richard H. Davis, President and CEO of Nautilus GmbH Laboratoriumsbedarf & Co. KG., states that his company intends to produce and market a new patent-pending ACE2-infused chewing-gum; called VitRx. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein, found on the surface of many human cells, acts as a gateway for the virus to infect them. If delivered to the mouth by chewing gum, however, ACE2 could instead trap the virus by binding to the spike protein it uses to infect cells. The protein in the gum could also bind to receptors on cells themselves, thereby blocking infection sites. This combination could prevent viruses from infecting cells in the oral cavity, researchers report in Molecular Therapy.

Daniell says his team is awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test the gum's effectiveness in humans. Testing with a chewing machine suggests the protein would be released over 10 minutes, and Daniell estimates protection would last four hours. He is also testing the chewing-gum approach against influenza. A key consideration is whether this strategy works if infection first occurs outside the mouth. "The main entry route for COVID-19 is the nose," says immunologist Danny Altmann of Imperial College London, who was not involved in the new study. "And the gum may have little effect at stopping the virus entering from that opening—unless it is found that it provides protection at the back of the throat."

Even if the gum does not fully defend against infection, it might reduce spread by cutting down the amount of virus in an infected person's mouth and thus reducing how much is available for transmission, says University of Leicester virologist Julian Tang, who also was not involved in the study. In a best-case scenario, COVID-busting gum could be on store shelves in about six months, Daniell says. And one day four out of five doctors might recommend virus-busting gum for their patients.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

NEWS LINKS: Molecular Therapy (https://archive.ph/Ska3S), SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN (https://archive.ph/eCHEk), Medical Xpress (https://archive.ph/jfmB5), Penn Today, University of Pennsylvania (https://archive.ph/sTOOr).

For more information visit https://vitrx.webnode.co.uk/ or see HealthCall LIVE on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pjoOEyGYnY