Enzymatica has developed ColdZyme, a mouth spray designed to protect against viruses in the upper respiratory tract that cause cold and flu-like symptoms. ColdZyme creates a barrier on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and throat that prevents viruses from infecting cells and multiplying. The product is classified as a medical device and is certified according to the MDR, the EU's Medical Device Regulation.
Study with ColdZyme on endurance athletes
Since 2022, an independent investigator-initiated study has been conducted at University of Kent to test whether ColdZyme can reduce the symptoms and duration of upper respiratory tract infections in endurance athletes. Endurance athletes may be highly susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections, causing symptoms such as cough, sore throat and long breaks in their training schedule.
The study is double-blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized and is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ColdZyme. The study included 164 endurance athletes who received either ColdZyme or placebo, with instructions to use the product preventively or when symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection occur. Participants kept exercise diaries and completed a daily questionnaire to monitor symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. When participants experienced symptoms, they took a self-test that was sent to a specialist laboratory to detect pathogens that cause upper respiratory tract infection and to monitor viral load.
Fewer sick days and reduced symptoms
The study results were presented in early September and showed a significant difference between ColdZyme and placebo. Athletes in the ColdZyme treatment group experienced a significantly shorter duration of upper respiratory tract infections, which was the study's primary endpoint. The duration of illness was reduced by an average of approximately five days, allowing athletes to recover and return to full training more quickly.
Secondary endpoints showed significantly lower rhinovirus viral load, milder symptoms, and fewer training days lost. Athletes in the placebo group typically lost 3–4 training days, compared to 1–2 days in the ColdZyme group.
Professor Davison comments on the research results
Glen Davison, principal investigator of the study and professor of sport and exercise science at the University of Kent, commented on the results:
– These results indicate that ColdZyme addresses the underlying cause of the URT infections, inhibiting the viruses' ability to infect cells further, stopping the spread of the virus between cells and allowing the body to eliminate and `get over' the virus infection more quickly.
Professor Davison presented interim data from the study in March at International Olympic Committee World Conference on Prevention of Injury & Illness in Sport in Monaco. Subsequently, interim data has also been published in BJSM, British Journal of Sports Medicine.
BioStock contacted Glen Davison to learn more about his research on ColdZyme.
What initially motivated you to study ColdZyme and its effects on upper respiratory tract infections?
- My interest is in the effects of exercise on the immune system and resistance to infections, particularly upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold. I have been conducting research in this area for over twenty years, mainly focusing on the evaluation of products and interventions that can help prevent upper respiratory tract infections in athletes or help athletes get back to training more quickly after an upper respiratory tract infection. This is how I first came into contact with ColdZyme, which led to my initial research into the product. As a keen endurance athlete myself, I am always keen to study interventions that can reduce training days lost.
How does ColdZyme compare to other treatments or preventive measures for upper respiratory tract infections?
- There is nothing like this in my field. More broadly, the results we have seen in this study seem to far exceed anything else I have come across. Reducing the number of training days lost by over 50% is a notable finding.
What do you find most interesting about your research findings on ColdZyme?
- The fact that training days missed were so much lower in the ColdZyme group.
Based on the study findings, how do you envision ColdZyme benefiting athletes and the general population?
- For athletes, we know the less training missed, the better they perform, so this could be a real advantage to them, and their competitive performance. For the general population, there may be similar benefits for slightly different reasons. First of all, less sickness days, and less absenteeism from work. Also, we know productivity (ie how well you work) is reduced when ill, even if it does not cause absenteeism, so this could have much wider implications. Also, general well-being is negatively affected by URTIs, so there are potential benefits for the general population.
