THE first clinical trials in Britain and Europe of a nasal spray that kills coronavirus has started at St Peter’s Hospital.

The SaNOtize Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) is designed to kill the virus in the upper airways, preventing it from incubating and spreading to the lungs.

A spokesman for the hospital said the treatment has been proved to be 99.9% effective in killing the coronavirus in independent lab tests in the US.

“The fact that a relatively easy and simple nasal spray could be an effective treatment is welcome news and offers a significant advance in our therapeutic armoury against this devastating disease,” said Pankaj Sharma, the director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research at Royal Holloway, University of London.

“Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is proud to be at the forefront of trialling this intervention,” Professor Sharma added.

Rob Wilson, a former junior minister is representing SaNOtize in the UK and EU and is overseeing the trial.

“The vaccination programme is essential, but it will also take time to distribute to the general public. It is important to explore and deliver simple, safe and inexpensive therapeutic product solutions over the counter in the UK and EU as soon as possible,” Mr Wilson said.

“If successful, people in Britain and Europe could have an effective, safe and accessible treatment within months that they can use daily to kill the coronavirus and stop it spreading.”

Chris Miller, a co-founder of SaNOtize, which is based in Canada, said the nasal spray could become part of everybody’s healthcare with people using it in the morning, during the day and in the evening.

The nasal spray is undergoing more advanced trials in Canada, which could lead to a swift introduction in Canada and then the rest of the world.