Ermelijn Smits. (Photo: PR)
One million people in the Netherlands have lung diseases such as COPD and asthma. Hermelijn Smits from the LUMC wants to strengthen the immune system of these vulnerable people with the help of a new nasal spray. She wants to develop this using the body’s own substances from the intestines. Companies do not want to invest in the medicine because they cannot make money from it. The LUMC is now calling on the public for help.
“The nasal spray is necessary because many vulnerable people such as children, the elderly and people with lung disease can still become very ill from a simple cold virus,” says Ermelijn Smits, professor of Immunology. “When developing this nasal spray, I was inspired by people who do not get sick. Substances in their intestines have a beneficial effect on their immune system.” Smits wants to move these substances to the noses of vulnerable people using her nasal spray.
Hermelijn Smits develops new nasal spray in LUMC .
Development
“We have already developed a prototype of the nasal spray. We now want to test the spray in a group of healthy volunteers,” says Smits. If the test is successful, the nasal spray can then be tested on vulnerable people. “Unfortunately, the research is not interesting for pharmaceutical companies to support, because they cannot make money from it. This is because the medicine is made from substances produced by the body, and pharmaceutical companies cannot apply for a patent on this.”
The LUMC wants the new nasal spray to be accessible and affordable to everyone. The hospital is now appealing for a contribution from the public. Volunteers are also being sought to test the drug. The Leiden University Fund (LUF), among others, is now trying to raise 10,000 euros support research. Half of that has already been collected.
Promotional film for the new nasal spray with explanation LUMC.
Economy Leiden Society
2023-12-23 20:23:23
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