ENA Respiratory Publishes Review of Development of Novel Intranasal Antiviral Host Defense Immune Enhancer INNA-051 in Antiviral Research
- Publication comes as the prevalence of respiratory infections continues to rise worldwide
Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2025 – ENA Respiratory, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing antiviral host defense immune enhancers to minimize the impact of respiratory viral infections in at-risk populations, announces today the publication of an invited review of the preclinical and clinical development of INNA-051 in Antiviral Research, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal of the International Society for Antiviral Research published by Elsevier[1].
INNA-051 is a host defence immune enhancer which locally primes and boosts the body’s innate immune response – the natural first line of defence. It is being developed as a convenient, once-a-week nasal dry powder product to reduce the impact of viral respiratory infections and prevent severe complications in at-risk populations, including the elderly, those with an underlying medical condition (including chronic lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease) and individuals with occupational risk (e.g. first responders, military or essential services personnel).
The rising global prevalence of viral respiratory infections highlights the urgent need for medical countermeasures to complement vaccine and direct-acting antiviral approaches. Increased emergency room visits in the U.S. caused by influenza, recent global reports of severe illness caused by bird flu infections, and the recent surges in human metapneumovirus infections and hospitalizations in China underscore the continued impact of viral respiratory infections on vulnerable populations. These trends emphasize the critical importance of innovative approaches to reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
In the review our Director of Biology, Dr Francesca Mercuri, and her co-authors detail how host-directed therapies could work broadly across a range of viral variants to boost the natural anti-viral defences and help tackle viral respiratory infections. The review goes on to present pre-clinical and clinical data on INNA-051, including data from our Phase 2a proof-of-concept study in an influenza-challenge model, which highlights its potential to protect individuals from illness caused by common and emerging viral respiratory viruses.
ENA Respiratory’s CEO, Christophe Demaison, PhD said: “The prevalence of viral respiratory infections continues to rise, bringing with it significant levels of morbidity and mortality, particularly in at risk populations. The need for innovative approaches that complement and address the limitations of vaccines and direct-acting antivirals is urgent. We are proud to have published this review on the development of INNA-051 which we believe has the potential to play a significant role in reducing the enormous burden of respiratory disease.”
ENA is currently planning its Phase II community infection study to assess the safety and potential efficacy of INNA-051 in reducing the incidence and duration of symptomatic infections caused by common respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses, seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus in young adults at risk for exposure living in the US.
[1] Francesca A. Mercuri, Gary P. Anderson, Bruce E. Miller, Christophe Demaison, Ruth Tal-Singer. Discovery and development of INNA-051, a TLR2/6 agonist for the prevention of complications resulting from viral respiratory infections. Antiviral Research, 2025https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.106063
