Akita Biosciences announced that a grant from Flu Lab will fund a pilot study of the company’s Profi prophylactic nasal spray in healthcare workers. Akita launched Profi, an OTC gel-forming drug-free nasal spray, in 2023 and currently sells the product online. The 8-week study will enroll workers in New York City public hospitals and clinics and will explore the safety and feasibility of daily use of the nasal spray.
Flu Lab, which was founded in 2018, offers grants and makes investments to support research aimed at blocking transmission of influenza. Earlier this year, Flu Lab made a $5 million investment in ENA Respiratory, which is developing INNA-051 intranasal dry powder TLR2/6 agonist for the prevention and treatment of flu and other respiratory viruses.
Akita CEO Alex Revelos commented, “Healthcare workers, especially those in direct patient care, are exposed to airborne contaminants every day. Existing measures like masking and vaccines help, but there’s a clear need for complementary tools that fit seamlessly into daily practice. This grant enables us to better understand how a drug-free, hygiene-based nasal spray might fit into the daily routines of frontline professionals. We are grateful to Flu Lab for supporting this important step.”
Read the Akita Biosciences press release
