Enzymatica’s results published in The Journal of Physiology
Study results show that Enzymatica’s mouth spray, ColdZyme, reduces viral load and inhibits its spread, leading to fewer sick days and milder symptoms. The study findings have now been published in the highly ranked journal The Journal of Physiology.
Enzymatica has developed ColdZyme, a medical device mouth spray used at the first signs of cold and flu-like symptoms. The spray creates a barrier in the throat that captures viruses and inhibits their spread. ColdZyme is certified under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR).
Publication in journal
On February 28, study results from two independent studies on ColdZyme were published in The Journal of Physiology, a peer-reviewed and international journal in the field of physiology.
The publication is based on research conducted at the University of Kent and in Vienna, where the effect of ColdZyme was investigated using two complementary methods: a clinical study on athletes and an in vitro model of the human upper respiratory tract.
The clinical study included 164 active athletes, who were randomly assigned either ColdZyme or a placebo at the first signs of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms. The athletes also submitted throat samples, allowing researchers to analyse the presence of viruses in relation to symptoms.
Fewer sick days and lower symptom levels
The results of the study, based on 154 participants, are now public and demonstrate significant benefits of using ColdZyme in connection with colds. The findings showed that study participants who used ColdZyme had statistically significant lower symptom scores, fewer sick days, and fewer lost training days due to colds compared to the placebo group.
– The findings are very promising, and the reduced illness duration can be of practical benefit to both athletes and the general population, says Glen Davison, professor of Sport and Exercise Sciences in the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Kent, UK.
Reduced viral load
Additionally, the results showed that the viral load was 94 % lower in the ColdZyme group compared to the placebo group in the clinical study. The in vitro study also demonstrated a significant reduction in the amount of virus in respiratory tissue that had been treated with ColdZyme before being exposed to the virus.
The research team in Vienna used human epithelial cells in models simulating different parts of the upper respiratory tract, such as the nose and throat. The models were treated with either ColdZyme or saline solution and then infected with rhinovirus, the most common cause of the common cold. The results showed that ColdZyme led to a significant reduction in viral load. The tissue culture treated with ColdZyme had intact cell nuclei, undamaged cilia, and only a few remaining virus particles compared to infected cultures that received only saline solution treatment.
– These results are remarkable because ColdZyme not only significantly reduced the viral load for SARS-CoV-2 variants and Influenza A and B as previously demonstrated, but also for rhinoviruses in our upper respiratory tract model, says Doris Wilflingseder, professor of infectious diseases at the Ignaz Semmelweis Institute and the Vetmeduni Vienna.
CEO comments on the results
The results indicate that ColdZyme acts on the underlying cause of upper respiratory infections by inhibiting the virus’s ability to infect cells and limiting its spread.
BioStock reached out to Enzymatica’s CEO, Claus Egstrand, to learn more about the study results and the publication in The Journal of Physiology.
ColdZyme has now gained scientific validation through publication in The Journal of Physiology. How significant is this for Enzymatica and ColdZyme as a product?
– It is very important, as the peer-reviewed and published study results indisputably confirm the efficacy of ColdZyme. In fact, the independent investigator-initiated study from the University of Kent is what is called a “Gold Standard” study in the self-care industry:
- A statistically significant number of participants should be included to ensure results (UoK study had 154 participants)
- Randomised, double-blind placebo controlled
What were the most surprising or noteworthy findings from the studies?
– The most surprising is also the most remarkable, namely that ColdZyme reduces local propagation in the Upper Respiratory Tract, reducing the spread of infection to neighbouring cells, and reducing overall viral load by 94 % compared with the untreated condition, which is also called “breaking the virus cycle”. As a result, ColdZyme is a unique product that shortens the duration of a cold AND provides symptom relief for runny nose, blocked nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough and malaise.
What response have you received from your partners regarding the publication of the results?
– For now, the response from existing partners and potential new partners has been:
– “Congratulations on the amazing results. We will get back to you with proposed next steps.”
– We have to keep in mind that we work with large consumer healthcare companies with many internal departments involved in their decision-making process.
The study included both a clinical trial on athletes and an in vitro analysis. Can you explain why these two methods were chosen and how they complement each other?
– I think it is very important to reiterate that Enzymatica did not choose these two methods. The manuscript that has been published is a collaboration between two independent investigators, namely Professor Davison and Professor Wilflingseder.
– The two professors believe that their two study methods are complementary in that they both focus on ColdZyme’s effect on rhinovirus infection.
– The clinical study shows the efficacy of ColdZyme because of lowering viral load, the in-vitro helps explain/support the mode of action of ColdZyme in a model of human cells.
The results show that ColdZyme inhibits the spread of viruses by creating a barrier in the throat. How does this mechanism differ from traditional cold and flu treatments?
– ColdZyme targets the underlying cause of a common cold and its associated symptoms by preventing viruses from attaching to cells and causing infection. Therefore, ColdZyme shortens the cold’s duration while relieving the associated symptoms.
– Traditional Cold&Flu remedies are primarily based on “pharmaceutical ingredients” – active ingredients – that work to relieve the symptoms of a cold. While there are many different types of cold medications available, most contain common active ingredients such as decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants, and pain relievers.
- Decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, work by narrowing the blood vessels in the nasal passages. This reduces swelling and congestion, making it easier to breathe through the nose.
- Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine, block the histamine receptors in the body. Histamine is released during an allergic reaction or a cold, and it causes symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and a runny nose. By blocking histamine, antihistamines can help reduce these symptoms.
- Cough suppressants, such as dextromethorphan or codeine, work on the cough centre in the brain to reduce the frequency and intensity of coughing.
