● NEU Covid-19 nasal spray,

RESEARCHERS at Near East University (NEU) have developed a nasal spray that they say could help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Prof Dr İrfan Suat Günsel, chairman of the NEU Board of Trustees, announced on Monday that scientists had completed their work on the project, which will be a “hope in preventing the spread of the virus”.

Issuing a statement Prof Günsel said: “We have developed the protective nasal spray that will neutralise the transmission of Sars-CoV-2 [Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], which causes the Covid-19 disease, to cells, in partnership with Perugia University, the European Biotechnology Association and the Italian Magi Group.”

Hailing the work of the NEU staff, Prof Günsel said that the coronavirus nasal spray project will “write a new success story” for North Cyprus “as a country promising hope in the search for a remedy for Covid-19”.

“We aim to . . . develop innovative solutions and applications . . . with this project that aims to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” he said. “With our project partners, we have come to an end in a study that will be considered a discovery for humanity and we are opening the doors of the global science world to our scientists.”

Prof Günsel said that if further tests prove that the nasal spray is effective then NEU plans to “register the nasal spray and start production immediately”.

According to the NEU press and public relations directorate, laboratory studies have been conducted in Italy and in the TRNC.

The nasal spray, which was tested on volunteers in Italy, “kills” the coronavirus by preventing the Sars-CoV-2 from binding to cells, an NEU statement said.

It contains a “combination of natural active ingredients” and provides a “natural reinforcement and physical defence” by creating a “shield that will prevent viruses from entering cells”.

NEU said that “reliability tests” were completed by the NEU project team which did not show any “toxic” side effects.

“A scientific report on the reliability of the nasal spray, which did not have any adverse reactions in laboratory experiments, will be published,” the NEU press release continued. “The protective nasal spray, which is described as a worldwide project that promises hope in the fight against coronavirus, will be applied on people in high-risk groups in the TRNC and those who have been in contact with Covid-19 positive people.

“The tests of the protective nasal spray have already been started on people who have been in contact with Covid-19 positive patients in Italy.”