Can Broncho-Vaxum reduce COVID-19 infection?
In a new study by the University of Arizona, researchers found that a mixture of bacterial extracts known as OM-85, used in Europe to treat respiratory infections, may provide a new way to prevent or reduce infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
OM-85 is a bacterial solution, a mixture of molecules extracted from the cell walls of bacteria, marketed outside the United States under the trade name Broncho-Vaxom as a preventive treatment for respiratory infections in children and adults.
When SARS-CoV-2 enters the lungs, it binds to receptors including the angiotensin-converting enzyme receptor 2, known as ACE2, on the outer membranes of lung cells.
The cellular enzyme changes the shape of the protein on the virus, to enable SARS-CoV-2 to penetrate the membrane and infect the cell.
The researchers found that pretreatment of cells with OM-85 bacterial extract prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection - due to its effective ability to affect the ACE2 receptor.
The mechanism of action of OM-85 in combating viral infections differs from that of vaccines, as the effectiveness of vaccines lies in affecting the protein on the virus.