LONDON: A new treatment has been developed that helps people avoid developing, and aids recovery from, serious cases of COVID-19.

The drug, known as SNG001, has been developed by a team at UK firm Synairgen, and is administered by being inhaled into the body.

SNG001 works by boosting levels of a natural protein, interferon beta-1a, which is known to fight viral infections. 

A trial of 98 patients found that the treatment doubled the chances of recovery from COVID-19, but the scientists behind it said larger trials will be needed to determine its true effectiveness.

“The results confirm our belief that interferon beta … may have the potential as an inhaled drug to restore the lung’s immune response and accelerate recovery from COVID-19,” said the team’s leader, Prof. Tom Wilkinson.

“Inhaled interferon beta-1a provides high, local concentrations of the immune protein, which boosts lung defenses rather than targeting specific viral mechanisms,” he added.

“This might carry additional advantages of treating COVID-19 infection when it occurs alongside infection by another respiratory virus, such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus, that may well be encountered in the winter months.”