Common allergy spray slashes COVID-19 risk in surprising trial

Publication date: Sep 07, 2025

The treatment group of 227 individuals used an azelastine nasal spray three times a day over a 56-day period. During that same period, the 223 participants in the control group used a placebo spray three times a day. The project serves as an excellent example of successful collaboration between academic research, industry partners and public health initiatives in the Saarland region. Previous in vitro studies on azelastine had already suggested antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses. The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) contributed through the research groups of Professor Smola and Professor Bals.

Concepts	Keywords
Antiviral	Azelastine
Decades	Bals
Pcr	Cov
Rhinovirus	Group
Virology	Infections
	Nasal
	Participants
	Professor
	Respiratory
	Robert
	Saarland
	Sars
	Spray
	Treatment
	Trial

Semantics

Type	Source	Name
disease	MESH	hay fever
disease	IDO	infection
disease	MESH	respiratory infections
disease	MESH	coronavirus infections
disease	MESH	infections
drug	DRUGBANK	Azelastine
disease	MESH	COVID-19
disease	MESH	allergy